Whatcha Say
by cheergirlejami
Summary: EJ DiMera is having a very bad day when the news of the faux Rafe scandal was revealed.  What happens when he is confronted by Sami for his actions?
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: This story takes place after the news of the faux Rafe broke in Salem. EJ and Sami are both upset for very different reasons. Warning for bad language and smut!

Whatcha Say**  
><strong>Part I

This was complete and utter bullshit EJ thought as they all gathered around the room smirking. It kind of reminded him of children playing cowboys and Indians and apparently the cavalry had surrounded him since he was the lone warrior left standing in the midst of them all. He really was tired of acting like he even gave a damn anymore, much less trying to give the appearance of being contrite over his supposed heinous actions.

Never mind that the person who was pitching such a huge fit was the one who had freaking shot him in the first goddamn place. He had to stifle the urge to keep from rolling his eyes in derision to every person in the room. Was this all really necessary?

He wanted to laugh aloud as his father stood stoically to the side, of course he wouldn't take the credit for his master plan he never did when he was backed up against a wall and why should he when his son could take all the blame for the entire debacle anyway? He didn't even kid himself thinking he was Stefano's favorite son anymore. Poor Chad really had no clue as to exactly what kind of family he was in now. Well he had to hand it to the old man; he really did know how to play them all, himself included.

Taylor stood back behind him the shock clearly written all over her face. Well there went that relationship on the fast track straight to hell, not that the death knell of their illicit tryst was something he was going to mourn. Taylor was rather uninspiring when it came to sexual prowess and damn if she didn't look like she was about to have an apoplectic episode after Samantha had revealed what she deemed to be the most horrible thing he had ever done.

One had to wonder if he could get the ring back though, you never knew when you needed a trinket to charm a lady or a whore for that matter.

Honestly, this wasn't the worst thing he had ever done, far from it he surmised as he bit the tip of his tongue going back over what he considered had to be his most nefarious deeds. He was trying his best to act interested in what Samantha was yelling about, but he wasn't too concerned. Samantha was a reactionary woman, she'd screech about his injustices to high heaven if she thought the entire town of Salem would listen to her.

She was going on and on while he stood there, letting her rant and rave and then he gave into his impulse and rolled his eyes at her, he just couldn't resist and he could tell she'd lost it completely. He didn't even have time to brace himself as she balled her fist and gave him a vicious right jab.

Hell she was more upset than he gave her credit for because for a woman she had a nasty mean hook in her arsenal of punches. Thank goodness he hadn't bit off the tip of his tongue during her surprise attack, but she'd busted his lip in the process of her boxing attempt on his face.

He stepped back, took a deep breath and wiped at his lip, swiping at the blood that he could feel residing in the corner of his mouth. He could feel his anger wanting to rear its ugly head, although this wasn't the time or place to vent his frustrations at her. When and if he lost his temper with her it wasn't going to be pretty.

He never said a word, just looked at them all especially Rafe who he knew was a complete pussy for letting Sami hit him while he stood there at the door. Then again he guessed Rafe couldn't pack as hard of a punch as Samantha could. He almost called Rafe one, although from the way Samantha was breathing hard and nursing her sore fist he bet she'd just attempt to strike at him again and although he didn't want to hit her back he was sorely tempted to do so at the moment.

He was a DiMera for crissakes, and if his father wasn't man enough to ask them to leave he sure as hell was going to, he was sick and tired of these stupid petty games and unless they had a warrant for his arrest they all needed to vacate the premises before he actually did something to cause him to be arrested, like assault and battery on this entire group of simpletons.

"Get the fuck out of my house!" he raised his voice, of course not to the ear splitting decibel range that Samantha has used just moments before with her tirade, but close enough.

They all looked at one another, debating on what to do since Stefano just shrugged his shoulders and went over to pour a drink, while EJ opened the door signaling for them all to exit the room.

"I thought this was Stefano's house," Sami raised her brow in a quizzical way which Stefano completely ignored.

"Sami," EJ said calling her by the name he never used when addressing her making her whip her head back in his direction giving him an instantaneous look of disbelief, "in case you haven't realized it yet you are no longer welcome in the House of DiMera."

"You can't talk to her that way," Rafe began only to have EJ shove him out the door first causing him to go sprawling on the sidewalk outside making Sami cry out immediately rushing to Rafe's aid along with Bo, Hope, Taylor and of course faux Rafe rushing out all along with them. Sami helped Rafe up, and was turning to go back into the house when EJ promptly slammed the door in her face.

When he could hear her shouting outside, demanding access back into the house that god only knew why she wanted to get back in here as much as she bitched about hating the mansion he just leaned back against the door and only then did he start to laugh.

_Whatcha Say__**  
><strong>__Part II_

He walked back into the drawing room, listening to the banging on the door heading straight to the bar to pour a very liberal amount of brandy, raising his glass up in the direction of his father before stating rather dryly, "Thanks for throwing me under the bus Father."

"I knew you could handle yourself, even if that little spitfire cold cocked you one before you threw her out," Stefano chuckled before heading out of the room too leaving EJ alone wondering if he should be pissed more at his father or amused that once again The Phoenix always managed to get out unscathed.

As EJ winced feeling the alcohol touch his cut, he guessed it really didn't matter much, unless the incompetent Salem police force could come up with some hard evidence against him they wouldn't be able to charge him with anything because Stefano had assured EJ the moment faux Rafe had aligned with the Keystone Cops (aka namely Bo and Roman) he was a dead man, so he doubted the poor fool would live out the night.

"All 'inferno con tutte le loro," EJ drained the rest of the brandy and slammed the glass on the table before exiting the room himself.

_Whatcha Say__**  
><strong>__Part III_

"Don't worry Sami, EJ is going to pay for what he has done to you and Rafe," Bo assured her as they entered the Brady Pub, opting to get a bite of lunch before he and Rafe had to head back to the station to get a complete statement from faux Rafe and then once and for all they would have EJ DiMera dead to rights and he'd be in jail where he truly belonged.

Hope for her part didn't say anything while the rest of them talked over the various wrongs the DiMera's were responsible for citing an ever growing litany of sins they believed the family had done against the Brady's.

Sami noticed Hope's quietness and after the men left to go back to work she took her by the hand, "Are you ok Aunt Hope?"

"Umm yeah, I guess, just not much up for throwing stones at the DiMera's," Hope shrugged her shoulders as she stirred her iced tea with a straw, not looking up at Sami.

"Are you crazy? Look at what they have done to us? To all of our family," Sami started to rant again only to stop when Hope uttered a simple sentence to her.

"Considering what all I have done and received forgiveness for I don't like to pass judgment on others anymore. You know the saying those who live in glass houses…" her voice trailed off as she looked away, not needing to say anything else to make Sami realize maybe she needed to look within herself too.

But EJ just infuriated her, he just did. So she hugged Hope and left the Pub knowing instinctively where she was going.

Back to settle this once and for all with EJ…

Whatcha Say****

Part IV

Sami wasn't even aware she'd left her car until she was stalking toward the front door of the DiMera mansion. She was angry with EJ, furious to the point of wanting to kill him and god knew that wasn't the first time the thought had crossed her mind.

But she didn't have a gun with her this time and it probably was a good thing because EJ just made her act irrationally. He really had pissed her off, kidnapping Rafe, having a faux one replace him and the more she thought about it the more she knew she had to tell him what a complete and utter bastard he was and this time she would never forgive him for his wrongdoings.

To add insult to injury she still couldn't believe he had rolled his eyes at her and even called her Sami. He always called her Samantha. Then she stopped herself why should it bother her that he called her what everyone else called her? Then it hit her he considered her to be just like everyone else, Sami.

She guessed to him his Samantha didn't exist anymore and after all they had been through together, he was probably right. She didn't know whether to feel sad or jubilant, maybe she was a bit of both.

This time she wouldn't knock on the door, she still had a key to the haunted mansion as she liked to call it and considering how EJ had ordered them all out earlier, plus slamming the door in her face, she somehow didn't want a repeat performance.

That had been quite humiliating actually and that only spurred her ire on because no way in hell was EJ DiMera going to get the best of her. He was going to know once and for all that she was going to be able to put him away for good this time, he wasn't going to have a magical get out of jail free card. She had him right where she wanted him this time and the knowledge that EJ was going to get what he deserved was liberating. After today she would be free of EJ DiMera forever.

Whatcha Say**  
><strong>Part V**  
><strong>

Sami unlocked the door, frowning when she realized the foyer was completely deserted as was the library when she turned the knob to open the door to that room also. She could see the French doors leading out to the pool were standing wide open, but surely EJ wasn't at the pool taking a leisurely swim after this nasty confrontation with all of them this afternoon.

She walked over to the open doors, recalling happier times there when they had been playful with one another; she looked out towards the pool area not seeing anyone in sight though. She took a few steps outside, shading her eyes from the last rays of the evening sunlight that was striking the pool and turned to go back into the library when suddenly from out of nowhere she was accosted by someone's hands on her shoulders. She jumped in fright when she felt the hands on her shoulders quickly spin her around leading her away from the elegant French doors and pressed her face-first up against one of the walls of the elaborate pool house.

"Samantha." EJ plastered himself up against her back, raising her hands over her head and pinning them there. He pressed her against the wall with his body, making sure she could feel all of his wet body pressed fully against her.

"E, EJ…?" Her breath caught in her throat and her knees weakened at the rush of wetness that pooled between her legs, never mind the actual wetness on her outfit when he had pressed himself so intimately against her.

He slid one hand up her body, cupping her breast and rubbing her nipple into a hard peak, pinching softly. He smiled at the breathy moan she produced instead of outrage like she normally acted towards him if he ever took such liberties with her. "Why are you here Samantha? I thought our encounter today was more than enough for you, but I guess not seeing as how you have broken into my house for some odd reason." He ground her up against the wall a bit more for emphasis.

"What…what do you mean?" She arched harder into his hand, closing her eyes, hating how fearful she sounded, not to mention how excited he was making her. "I… I didn't break into your house."

"Don't lie darling, you know how hot and hard it gets me when you lie," EJ's voice barely above a whisper in her ears, yet it sounded like a shout when he spoke so seductively to her or maybe that was just the fierce pounding in her chest combined with the decadent thrill EJ could produce in her when he chose to do so.

"I still have a key," Sami weakly explained, hoping he would let her turn around to face him, having to feel the hardness against her was clouding her mind, making her not think clearly. She had come here to finish their argument, not to become another pawn in the games they still continued to play with one another.

"Then that would mean it is way past time to change the locks around here. You've been a very naughty girl coming back here today especially after that ambush you all gave me, telling me what a wicked man I was, my dear Samantha," he purred in her ear, unbuttoning her blouse slowly as he continued to talk. He slipped his hand under her bra while bending down to bite the side of her neck.

Her whole body shivered and she moaned louder, her hips moving against him until he stopped her movements with one firm hand on her hip. "The way I see it, you're quite a wicked one yourself." He traced her ear with the tip of his tongue bringing his mouth back up from the side of her neck, only to nip her ear in the process biting down sharply on her lobe.

She gasped, the small pain shooting straight to her center. "I'm not wicked, I'm not…"

She faltered before she could say more, when EJ moved his hand and shoved her bra up. He toyed with her other nipple until it was hard as the first. He used his foot to kick her feet further apart, spreading them as wide as her skirt would allow. He pushed her hands up further and she braced her palms against the wall, breathing hard.

"Oh Samantha you are wicked, just as much as I am," EJ laughed lightly, still not letting her go, not yet anyway. He just had to remind her how wicked they could both be together…

Whatcha Say**  
><strong>Part VI**  
><strong>

EJ carefully knelt down and placed his hands on her ankles, caressing slowly up her legs until he reached the hem of her skirt, continuing upward until it was bunched up around her waist. He then hooked his fingertips into the top of her barely there thong panties and proceeded to tug at the lacy scrap of material until it was at the floor, all the while leaving her skirt pushed up over her hips, then he began kissing and nipping down the insides of her legs as each inch of skin was bared to him.

Sami could hardly stand up under such attention from EJ and she mindlessly stepped out of her panties and tried to turn around again but EJ's strong hands on her hips stopped her from moving. He was still kneeling behind her making her guess as to what his next move might be when he bit her ass cheek lightly she jumped as the sensation hit her from his love bite.

"You know the rules to this game far too well, so please don't pretend ignorance, naughty girls who get caught must be prepared to face the consequences, whatever they may be." He finally turned her slightly to lick up one side of her flat stomach, still sleek even after having his babies inside of her. He reached up and finished unbuttoning her blouse, sliding it off her body to hit the floor, leaving her standing there to face him in her bunched up skirt and bra pushed up above her bare breasts. He turned her all the way around and pushed her back against the wall, standing up and looming over her. His height making her realize once again how much he could overpower her if he so desired.

Sami opened her eyes totally dazed and not really comprehending how quickly EJ had managed to take off most of her clothing in such a few short minutes. EJ didn't say another word to her, he only stared at her with those dark knowing eyes of his, reaching up to circle one of her nipples with just his fingertip.

Sami tried to speak but EJ picked her up and held her against the wall so that her breasts were level with his face. Sami tried to struggle halfheartedly out of his grip, gasping though when he bit one nipple, then the other before sliding her down until he could kiss her hard, thrusting his tongue into her mouth before she could voice her protest over his actions.

EJ kissed her over and over; tangling his tongue against her wanting to subdue her for all the hell she had put him through this past year. His cock ached for her and he rubbed it up against her hip so she'd know full well what was about to take place between them. He was so fucking hard he thought he might explode before he got inside her, but he had waiting this fucking long for her to seek him out that he wasn't going to cum all over himself like some teenage schoolboy on the first time he got close to some pussy.

His broke the kiss and let her finish sliding back down the wall. All he could hear was their combined heavy breathing. He slid his hand up her thigh and sought out what he needed to know before they went any further and he was delighted to feel she was dripping wet. He slipped a finger inside her and started a slow rhythm watching her eyes narrow in pleasure when he inserted another finger, then one more for good measure, making her keel out in a whimper, her wetness coating his fingers as he continued even though he hadn't touched her clit yet. He knew how much she liked it when he touched her there, but for now he would make wait a while longer before he allowed her that privilege.

He waited until her legs were trembling and he knew she was right on the edge even without him even grazing her clit. He dragged his fingers out, smiling wickedly as she looked at him in confusion, he knew she was so close to the precipice, but he wasn't going to let her cum yet.

Her eyes widened and she blinked a few times, opening and closing her mouth like she wanted to say something, he guessed it would be to voice her request for him to continue, but he could tell she was warring with herself over letting him have that triumph of knowing he knew only too well how well to please her with just the touch of his hands.

"Something you want to say darling? Go ahead, no need to be shy with me. I know all your dirty little secrets." EJ looked at her body up and down like he wanted to eat her up right on the spot and she felt a fresh rush of wetness hit her like a tidal wave.

Sami bit her lip wanting nothing more than to tell him to go to hell, but she was so close, so damn close that she could almost taste it, could imagine EJ tasting her with his mouth that she almost collapsed against him. She managed to push him back just a few inches away from her, but not enough to stop the radiating waves of heat his body was sending her way.

EJ slowly smiled and waited. He had all fucking night to wait for her to beg him and he would hear her say the words to him before he took things any further or she'd go home without another touch from him. He had waited this long for her, he could wait longer and he would teach her a lesson about being stubborn.

Whatcha Say****

Part VII

Sami's head was still spinning. Just moments before EJ had been finger fucking her and she had let him and damn if she didn't want more. It was like he could always sense when she was close, but most times he didn't make her wait like this, watching her closely.

She knew he was silently giving her permission to stop if she wanted to do so, she knew him so well and he knew her too. She wouldn't be able to place the blame on him when their ardor cooled claiming he had taken advantage of her. No, he'd been down that road with her before and it looked like he wasn't planning on traveling it again.

So she was in a quandary, she could leave with meager shreds of her dignity intact or she could stay and get what she knew would be some of the best fucking she'd ever had in her life if she let EJ continue.

EJ could see the wheels in her mind turning, debating the pros and cons of the situation, if she left he was going to have to jack off something fierce and he knew it still wouldn't abate his hunger for her, but if she stayed it would be nothing short of awesome.

He personally was hoping for the awesome choice, but you never knew with Samantha what you would get, her box of chocolates was quite the mystery to him most times.

She debated a few seconds longer, her ache to be filled by him winning over her protests of pride. Really what good did pride do for you when all you wanted was to get laid in the best possible way by a man who knew exactly what to do to keep you cumming for hours on end?

Fuck her pride, she was getting laid and she asked the question he wanted to hear, "Why did you stop EJ?"

"You know why, if you want more you need to ask for it," EJ said with calmness in his voice that he certainly didn't feel, but she didn't need to know it.

Sami put a hand on his chest; slowly letting her fingers began a downward descent to the top of his swim trunks, then dipping below the waistline to touch his cock, hearing him hiss as she freed it from the trunks as they were hastily slipped off his form hitting the floor to fall alongside her discarded blouse.

Then she let go of him, reaching to find the zipper to her skirt, tugging at the closure to take it off as he reached behind her to undo her bra. Now both completely naked they stared at one another in appreciation. Sami took a step back, widened her legs slightly feeling the cool air touch her swollen sex and gingerly touched her finger to her clit, never taking her eyes off of EJ.

In an innocent voice that totally contrasted the movements of what her finger was doing she asked him nicely, "Please touch me, I need it, I want to cum."

"Who do you want touching you?" EJ asked, as he took his dick in his hand and begin to stroke it, causing it to rise even bigger than it had been moments before when his trunks dropped to the floor. "Say it, or you won't get any of this from me, you can just take care of yourself."

"You EJ, damn you," she said it and before she knew it he crushed against her once more, no space in between them, only their bodies touching one another.

He guided her around the room, pushing her until she felt the back of her legs brush against a plush chaise longue, she almost tumbled but EJ deftly caught her in his arms, turning her around quickly so that she was facing the wall instead of him. He bent her over slightly positioning her so that he could cup her breasts and she instinctively rocked toward him as he began to rub his cock over her slick folds, not entering her yet, but oh so close.

Sami's eyes flew open. It felt so good as EJ slipped his hands under her arms and pulled them back, pinning them against his chest.

EJ grabbed her chin and forced her face to his. He kissed her hard, and then let her mouth go, sweeping his tongue down her throat causing her to shiver and moan when he finally maneuvered her enough so that he could enter her from behind, taking her fully as he pushed into her as far as her body would allow him.

She pushed back up against him, taking each stroke in stride and begging him to go harder, that she could take all of him; she was so ready for him to fuck her. She tried to push herself closer, it was building inside of her, but his hands held her back. She let out a moan of frustration; her whole body was shaking, aching for more from him.

This was nothing like she'd imagined it would be if they had sex again. It was a thousand times hotter and the tighter EJ held her the more it drove her to push him a bit more wanting him to unleash it all for her, the passion they had was unmatched, it was wild and rough and free and she never wanted him to stop pumping into her.

EJ pulled back, and pulled out of her almost making her protest until he sat down on the lounge, instantly bringing her back to his arousal, as she eagerly dropped down upon him, almost screaming when he used this new position to suck one of her breasts while his finger quickly started to rub her clit.

"No one will ever make you cum so hard and as long as me, no one! Your sweet pussy is made for me; can't you feel how hot it is? You're fucking burning me up each time you pull up to ride me again," EJ spoke harshly into her ear and Sami couldn't hold back. The filthy words coming out of his mouth sent her over the edge and she came hard, straining not to fall off of him from the force of her rocking on his steel hard cock. EJ let out a hoarse groan when he felt her orgasm explode against his cock, coating it with her wetness. He almost came then, but took a deep breath to calm himself; he wanted this to last because he doubted she'd give him another chance like this anytime in the near future.

Then again he might because she was still riding him hard, coming up on her tiptoes to almost pull out only to slam back against him, her breasts rubbing his chest with a delicious friction all of their own. He noticed when her movement slowed down, each time slower than the one before and before she could collapse against him in a puddle of orgasmic bliss he gripped her arms taking her off of him for just a few seconds until he lay her down on the lounge and he entered her again, looking in her eyes as he began long slow strokes as soon as she hooked her legs behind his waist urging him onward to continue this madness they created.

He knew he was close to cumming, it wouldn't be long now, she was drenching him with her hot wetness and when she reached up her hand tugging on his hair, bringing his mouth back to connect with hers, he lost it, spewing his load of hot cum into her, never even thinking of using a condom with her until of course it was too late.

Sami drew in a shaky breath, a fresh jolt of desire hitting her so hard she came again as soon as she felt EJ spasm against her. She closed her eyes just savoring how amazing sex was with EJ.

Then it hit her, she'd just had sex with EJ. What in the world had she been thinking having unprotected sex with the man she swore she hated more than anyone else in the world?

EJ felt it when she realized the enormity of what they had just done hit her. He could tell she wanted him to move, but he stayed inside her, not allowing her to push him off. "No, you don't get your rocks off and push me aside sweetheart."

"I hate you," Sami said all the while her body argued with her as she felt him move again; apparently he wasn't done with her yet.

"Just imagine how good it would be if we actually loved one another," EJ remarked as he adjusted his stroke finally hitting her g-spot causing her to throw her head back in ecstasy once more, not caring if she hated him or not at the moment because she came again with just a few more strokes from him bringing him along with her with the intensity of her orgasm.

Finally he pushed off her, not before looking her in the eyes one more time, "Now when you are in your bed and close your eyes at night you can think about how I'm the only man that will ever truly satisfy you, my sweet wicked Samantha."

And with that he got up and walked away from her, leaving her without a backward glance, reaching for a beach towel from one of the cabinets on his way out the door, securing it around his naked body before he vanished completely from her sight.

He was tempted to turn back to her when he heard her scream an obscenity adjoined with his name, but he let it slide, he'd thought he might see her again soon if this afternoon was any kind of indication of how hot things could get between them.

Well one could only hope…

Whatcha Say**  
><strong>Part VIII

That son of a bitch was walking away from her Sami's mind screamed as she raised her voice an octave higher calling him all kinds of bad names as she scrambled around to find her discarded clothes in the pool house. She was shaking she was so angry or was it from the amazing fucking she'd just gotten from EJ?

It was the anger; she reasoned all the while she knew she was lying to herself once more. It was a combination of both things. EJ DiMera knew how to crank her up to a fevered pitch on any level of her life and he'd just proved it to her most vividly.

She wasn't prepared to do a walk of shame away from the mansion as she hastily jerked on her clothes, not caring if she got all the buttons buttoned on her top, at least she managed to get her skirt zippered back up even though she couldn't manage to find her panties. Damn, she really liked those too.

EJ thought he'd fuck her and she'd leave, crawling away, but he was so wrong, she wasn't going anywhere. Things were nowhere close to be finished with him. She had come here to tell him off not to fuck him, but even the best laid plans sometimes hit a snag and what a snag this afternoon had become, one she was afraid she'd have a hard time living down.

She looked around furtively, she might die of shame if Stefano saw her, but luck was on her side for once. She knew EJ would most likely be pouring himself a drink in the library so she'd just sneak up the stairs to his bedroom and wait for him there.

He'd come up there soon enough to take a shower and freshen up and when he did she'd be ready for him. She'd tell him exactly what she thought of him and the chaos he'd created with this latest fiasco he'd managed to orchestrate for her life.

She wasn't going to be his puppet anymore. EJ had another thing coming to him if he thought he was going to get away with what he and his father had tried to do to her this time. She'd slipped up this afternoon getting caught up in their physical attraction, but she'd be stronger now, she had to be because he had to pay.

EJ was going to get what he fully deserved one way of another or she'd die trying.


	2. Chapter 2

_Whatcha Say__**  
><strong>__Part IX_

EJ went to the bar to pour himself a drink, he needed one after this day from Hell, well at least most parts of it had seemed that way, from the ambush by the entire Salem smug patrol earlier to his later much unexpected tryst with Samantha, which he had to admit that was a bit more of the heavenly side, he was drained not only emotionally, but physically. He knocked back his drink quickly and poured another one, hoping the alcohol would numb his mind, he doubted anything could numb his body.

He still couldn't believe Samantha had come back to the mansion after he had thrown them out. She always was a hot headed, crazy and impetuous creature. Just thinking about her barging in on him, demanding answers made him hard again, not to mention the sex was her was off the chain exciting and downright naughty.

Damn if he didn't need to get drunk, drunk enough to forget about her and that luscious body that wouldn't quit. He poured another drink, downed it and then another, yet even with four good stiff glasses of bourbon, it didn't even seem like it was taking the edge off of him and his flip flop range of emotions. God he had it bad for her.

Why in the hell had she come back to the mansion today? Why?

Then he heard a loud noise coming from upstairs. He huffed, slamming down the empty glass on the wet bar and went to go see what or who was causing a disturbance now. Worse yet it sounded like it was in the vicinity of his room. What else could go wrong today? If it was another intervention staged by the group of self righteous asses he was going to lose it big time.

He was in no mood to be fucked with any more today at all.


	3. Chapter 3

_Whatcha Say __**  
><strong>__Part X_

Her nerves must be getting the best of her Sami thought when she backed against EJ's nightstand and much to her chagrin she knocked over the Tiffany lamp that currently resided on it, cussing under her breath when it shattered to pieces on the floor before she could catch it.

She was in the process of trying to kick what remained under EJ's bed when suddenly the door to the room burst open.

So much for the element of surprise, Sami thought going ahead and kicking another piece of the broken lamp under the bed, and then she turned to face him, pasting a fake smile upon her face.

"I'd say to what do I owe the pleasure of your company, but alas I thought it went without saying when we parted earlier, that it was way past time for you to go home or wherever the hell it is as long as you left here!"

Sami couldn't help it; she snorted in laughter and rolled her eyes at him which only angered EJ further.

"Stop it," EJ ordered Sami when she bent over in laughter.

"Oh you kill me," Sami sputtered out to which EJ gave her an incredulous look.

"I only wish," EJ muttered under his breath ready to bodily escort her out of his room and then the mansion itself. He moved forward thinking she truly had lost her mind when she kept laughing. "Seriously you are the killer amongst the both of us in case you have forgotten."

"It was a just a flesh wound EJ," Sami countered trying to stop her laughter and then she was flat on her back lying on EJ's bed before she could say another word to him much less emit another chuckle feeling as if the breath had been knocked out of her by EJ's actions.

EJ held her under him not allowing her to move even though she had begun to struggle trying to break his hold on her, but Sami was pinned by his superior weight. Leaning up on his elbows, he brushed her tangled hair out of her face.

"Sunshine," he said chidingly, deciding to forgo the you shot me and left me for dead argument with this witchy woman for the present time, "if you wanted me on top—all you had to do was ask sweetly." His voice was suddenly teasing as he gazed down at her surprised, angry face, although to Sami his words made her pissed off at him all over again.

"Get off, you big oaf!" she demanded, wishing she could knee him in the nads without any success and the she let out a frustrated groan as she tried to buck him off her, which she failed at miserably due to the advantage EJ had on her height and weight-wise.

"Shut up and kiss me," EJ grazed her mouth with his before she could object any further and within a few short seconds she opened hers thinking she was going to tell him off and as she felt the proof of his desire plainly she thought she'd tell him off later.

_Much later_…


	4. Chapter 4

Whatcha Say**  
><strong>Part XI

This kiss was rough, no tenderness exuding from either party. It was almost as if each was seeing if the other would be the first to concede defeat and give up, but as the minutes raged on, both had to pull away as they gasped for air.

Sami took the moment trying to figure out how to push EJ off of her, but then he shifted slightly and the movement created the position of them dry humping one another.

Damn if she didn't want him again and it had only been a little less than an hour before when he had taken her in the pool house, a location in the DiMera mansion that would be forever seared into her memory. She doubted she would ever be able to see the pool and not think of that cozy little room where EJ had made her scream his name and cum for him and on him and around him.

EJ felt her squirm underneath him so he rubbed against her again, grinding against her with the pesky barrier of his clothes preventing him from taking her swift and hard once more. He knew she was ready for him to, he could tell by how dilated her pupils were, how she was involuntarily opening up her legs wider to get more friction on her clit since she didn't have her panties on, he'd already taken them from her earlier at the pool house.

She was soaking him in her juices, he could feel the moisture seeping through his trousers, damn it those were ruined for sure, although he really didn't care about that because he'd ruin a thousand pair of trousers if she'd let him fuck her again and it was looking like it was going to be a sure bet of that any moment now.

Or at least he thought so until he'd opened his mouth to whisper darkly to her, "I want you to remember this when you are in your bed late at night, wishing any other man could satisfy and fulfill each of your deepest darkest fantasies. You know I can almost see you now, legs spread with your fingers playing with your quim, but even as you touch yourself, it won't be enough, won't be fast enough to get you off, it won't be hot enough to make you cum like I can make you cum. You want to cum again don't you darling? Don't you want to cum all my fingers instead? You know I can crook them just so to find that sweet spot you love and can't quite reach all by yourself."

As if to prove his point he did exactly that, moving away enough so that they both could see EJ taking his hand and flitting across her already aching clit and then delving into that hot molten pool of her pussy, adding enough fingers to fill her and curving them to hit her g-spot yet again.

Sami wanted to scream for him to stop, that no she didn't want him to do those things to her body and she tensed up trying to keep from cumming all over those amazing fingers of his as he played with her while she watched, all the while EJ was watching her closely.

Did she have no shame? Apparently not as she panted, tiny beads of sweat popping out along her forehead while she tried to keep her orgasm from washing over her, she hadn't meant for this to happen again. All she had wanted to do was prove to EJ that he held no power over her, but she was failing miserably.

She hated to fail; she could stop this as she clenched her muscles, trying to squeeze his fingers that were inside, although the sensation only heightened her senses instead of calming them down.

She looked at EJ, wide eyed and managed to speak even though it was a rather shaky tone of voice she was using, "I won't remember any of this. I'll manage to forget."

EJ twisted his fingers a slight degree more and before Sami knew it she was screaming in ecstasy as her orgasm rushed through her like a fire. He watched her cum and looked into her eyes with a knowing look daring her to lie to him again.

Sami closed her eyes, she couldn't look at EJ anymore, he knew her too well and that realization frightened her more because she knew deep down he was right. He was the only man who could take her to the edge and then bring her to a whole other new level of pleasure.

She wished she could vanish right on the spot so that she wouldn't have to open her eyes again to face him, she'd rather die than admit that he was right and then he was touching her again and somehow the lines blurred between what she knew was good for her and what she wanted.

And right now she wanted EJ DiMera inside her again.

Just one more time…


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Just remember this is a parody fic so it has a lot of sarcastic bits to it, plus I changed a few things to suit the story. Hope you enjoy.

****Whatcha Say**  
><strong>Part XXII

One more time turned into several more chance encounters in the ensuing weeks, weeks that Sami tried her best to come to terms with whatever this craziness was that happened every time she and EJ crossed paths. She tried in vain to stay away from him, he was trouble with a capital T, but somehow each time she decreed never again, something else would happen, EJ would find her or vice versa and madness took over.

If it was any comfort to her, which it truly wasn't much was that after the accident and he came home "Real Rafe" hadn't had any interest in sex at all, not that she would have been interested with participating in the act with him now because after these illicit trysts with EJ all other men she had been with in her life kinda paled in comparison, which oddly helped her in some way because it finally gave her the courage to tell Rafe she wanted a divorce from him.

Needless to say Rafe didn't take the news well, he cried and begged her not to go through with it, but in her heart she hadn't been married to Rafe in a long time if ever considering her quickie marriage to him after the failed disaster of not marrying EJ. Truth be told she had been outta her mind with rage at EJ for being behind Sydney's kidnapping, which gave leeway for her shooting him before returning to the safe and ever predictable arms of Rafe Hernandez.

Of course, Rafe being the gullible soul that he was had believed Sami wanted to get married to him as much as he did her, but her reasons why had been slightly skewed to say the least.

She'd married Rafe to get back at EJ, to hurt him as badly as he had hurt her, because damn it if he hadn't lived after she tried to shoot him. Really the DiMera's must have nine lives like cats or maybe they had made a pact with Satan instead.

Somehow the latter seemed like it could be true. DiMera's were all evil, with the exception of her children and maybe Theo even if he had a witch for a mother in Lexie. Didn't matter if the rest of the town had forgotten all the terrible things she had done, Sami remembered them fully because god knew no one ever let her live anything down herself.

That thought reminded her that her family was going to be super pissed when she broke the news of her impending divorce to Rafe.

But honestly she had no choice, especially now after retching what felt like her guts up for the fourth time this morning. She knew the truth even before the five minutes passed by after peeing on the stick, that damnable stick which of course was going to change the course of her life yet once again.

With trembling fingers she picked up the offending stick from the bathroom counter and it confirmed her worst suspicions.

She was pregnant again and she felt the tears already starting to flow down her face.

Oh this was just great she thought to herself sarcastically. Now all she had to do was go tell the father the grand news.

That father being EJ DiMera because she hadn't slept with Rafe one time after his so-called "accident" which she was sure that evil monster Stefano DiMera had orchestrated along with the chaos that had occurred afterwards and she hadn't slept with anyone else except that smug bastard EJ since her last period over six weeks ago.

The only thing that kept her from crying harder was that at least it wasn't from "Faux Rafe". She doubted he would have had the gogo juice to impregnate her anymore than "Real Rafe" had during their time together. Apparently EJ had the magic super swimming sperm which never failed to find her fertile eggs.

Damn it what had she gotten herself into this time?


	6. Chapter 6

_**Whatcha Say  
>Part XIII<strong>_

She almost turned around and left the building before she entered EJ's office, but the longer she put this off the harder it would be because she'd definitely written the book on putting news to EJ like this off before with disastrous results. So to avoid another baby switch, kidnapping etc… drama in her tumultuous life she was changing things up a bit.

_Like going with the truth with EJ for a change_. Yes, she knew it was a radical concept, but god only knew what might happen this go round if she didn't take the bull by the horns so to speak and just laid it all out there on the line for him.

Yeah, let him worry about this too instead of just me worrying myself sick and then she paused feeling another bout of nausea hitting her. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then proceeded onward to get past the guard, aka EJ's new secretary Kiaya, who looked like she could be part of an Amazon tribe and was more than likely sleeping with EJ too if her frown to her when she announced she needed to see EJ was any indication.

Not that she was jealous or anything because EJ DiMera wasn't a prize, hell no, EJ was more like a plague, one you couldn't rid of no matter what you did. She absently rubbed her non-existent stomach thinking she felt like she had the plague, god she was so nauseous she could throw up right here on the Amazon's desk and it would serve her right for looking so evilly at her. Damn EJ and his unrelenting sperm.

Bastard made her wait a full five minutes before he buzzed her into his office. Sami strode into his office like she owned the place, no need for EJ to see that her confidence had been sorely shaken by her newfound information that once again EJ had knocked her up.

They did make beautiful babies though her mind wandered for a minute before EJ's abrupt question brought her out of her current reverie.

"To what do I owe the pleasure Miss Merry Sunshine?"

She rolled her eyes, god he was so infuriating sometimes, well most times. "I was in the neighborhood…"

"Wanting another quickie today? God you're insatiable woman, I thought after yesterday afternoon in the…"

She held up her hand to stop him from saying more, she was there yesterday with him and knew exactly what they did to one another out in the alley of her apartment building where anyone could have seen them if they had chosen to take a short cut, but luckily no one had seen them or at least she thought they hadn't…

"No I do not want another quickie as you so crudely put it," she began only to have him interrupt her.

"You liked where I put it yesterday," was his ever so snarky remark.

The man was such a jerk, but the things he could do with that mouth of his…

She shook her head; it must be the pregnancy hormones already messing with her mind, getting her off track from her mission today.

"I'm divorcing Rafe," she announced instead of telling EJ she was pregnant, but she was going to have to tell him about Rafe too sometime so this would buy her some time before she dropped the baby news bombshell on him.

EJ fought to suppress a grin, thank god Samantha was divorcing that buffoon, but she was frowning so he did what he seemed to do best lately and fired off another smart ass remark to her. "Well, well I really didn't think our adulterous affair was reason enough for you to leave him, much less divorce that imbecile…"

"I'm pregnant."

There she'd said it, no more beating around the proverbial bush for her this time, no sir, she was all business today.

The grin disappeared from his face faster than a light being turned off by the switch; this wasn't what he was expecting to hear from Samantha when she had walked into his office minutes earlier. He was about to go hug her when she turned on her heel scowling at him so he immediately backed off, damn she looked pissed.

Here goes nothing, "Who's the lucky or would that be unlucky father considering your countenance right now?"

She turned quicker than he anticipated and slapped him hard across the face, "It's yours. Who do you think it would be?"

"You are married to that idiot Rafe," EJ offered up which almost got him slapped again, but he was more prepared this time after the first slap she had fired off and grabbed her hand before it made contact with his face. "Considering Rafe has such a penchant for wanting to take other men's families away from them I'm rather surprised you didn't tell him it was his child. Are you sure this baby is mine?"

"Not that it is any of your business, but I haven't slept with Rafe since before his incident that you and your father orchestrated, although I wish it was anyone's baby but yours. I just thought I would tell you the truth."

"That's a switch…"

"Just forget it! I don't need you to have this baby. For once I was trying to do the decent thing, but of course your actions just proved I shouldn't have even bothered with coming here today." And with that she is ready to stomp out of the office with her head held high, she wouldn't beg for him to step up when they had both been so foolish these past few weeks by having sex with one another.

She was in route to do just that when EJ placed his hand on her arm to which she promptly shrugged off. "Don't go out of here mad Samantha."

Her voice came out as tired as she felt, "Leave me alone EJ."

"No, you're having my baby Samantha. I am not going to leave you alone. I'm going to take responsibility for my actions."

She gave him a grim smile, "I don't want your pity, much less your help."

"If you think you're going to deny me a chance to go through this pregnancy with you like you did when you were pregnant with Sydney, you're sorely mistaken. You can pitch a damn hissy fit if you so desire, but I'm going to take care of you and our family."

"We don't have a family EJ, your actions this past year made sure of that," she stated heatedly. "I don't need anything from you; I can take care of myself like I always do."

"If I have to handcuff you to me for the remainder of this pregnancy I swear I will. This time we're going to do things my way since the last time you decided to take care of yourself while you were pregnant with my child everything went horribly wrong."

"I hate you."

"You'll hate me a hell of a lot more if you don't do what I say this time around. By the way I'll handle your divorce case to Mr. Hernandez just to make sure everything is expedited correctly and above board."

"I didn't hire you to be my freaking lawyer."

"We are not going to be doing an episode of sister wives. I'm not letting you go to jail for being a bigamist."

"What are you talking about? I'm not a bigamist, an idiot for sleeping with you again, but I digress."

He pulled her up against him, "We're getting married Samantha. When this baby comes into the world, he or she isn't going to be illegitimate and there will be no question of who the father is because as you stated earlier, it's me."

Sami frowned, "You can't force me to marry you EJ. I won't do it."

"Marry me or I'll take this child from you as soon as it is born."

"Don't you dare threaten me EJ DiMera. You are such a bastard sometimes."

"Like that name bothers me. At least I can admit my faults unlike you Little Miss Hypocrite."

"I'm leaving."

"Be back by five pm this afternoon. I'll have the divorce papers drawn up for us to take to Rafe to sign and then after we get finished with that bit of fun, we'll go pick up the children from your grandmother who apparently has been keeping them more than you lately and then we'll all go to the mansion."

"I'm not coming back here today, and I'm sure as hell not going to the haunted mansion with you, much less take my children there."

"Our children," EJ stressed to her, "and yes you will."

"I won't."

EJ pointed to his watch, "Tick tock darling, I'll see you at five."

Sami stormed out of his office, obscenities about him and his wretched family spouting from her mouth until he could no longer hear her as she made her way down the hall.

When he was sure she was gone he took a deep shaky breath and ran his hands through his hair. He really was a bastard, he had threatened the mother of his children without a second thought, but she wasn't going to deprive him of being around his children ever again. Sure he told her they were going to get married, but it was true he wasn't going to allow another child of his to come into this world and then later on think he hadn't cared enough for them all to marry their mother.

He'd get her to see it was just a business arrangement between the two of them. While they were both sexually compatible with one another, there wasn't any other kind of emotion brewing between them other than Sami claiming to hate him all of the time.

He wished he hated her, but he had tried to make himself believe he felt that way about her and failed miserably because look at him, he couldn't even keep his hands off of her if they were alone in a room with one another.

But he didn't love her, anymore than Samantha loved him. He'd get her to calm down when she came back tonight and see this was best for everyone involved. She wouldn't have the stress of dealing with this pregnancy all of her own and he'd have his family back with him where they belonged.

Problem solved.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Whatcha Say  
>Part XIV<strong>_

To keep his mind off things, namely Samantha, EJ drew up the divorce papers for her and Rafe. In a roundabout way it was actually therapeutic for him, one this proved Samantha was done with that fool Rafe, two it would ensure that the divorce would be legitimate because he definitely wanted Rafe out of Sami's life for good and three well the sooner Samantha was divorced from that bumbling oaf the better for everyone involved.

Well EJ wasn't sure it would be better for Rafe; then again EJ despised Rafe and only hoped misery for the man who had tried to keep EJ from his children. Payback was a bitch and he hoped Rafe would be completely miserable and utterly alone. Rafe was not the father to any of Samantha's children and it almost made him giddy to know that Samantha was going to have another one of his children.

Well giddy sounded almost kind of girly, but damn it, he was happy about the news even though it had shocked the hell out of him when Samantha had blurted out that she was pregnant. Samantha was going to have his child and for once he was going to be there for all the firsts, not learning of them secondhand or from the sidelines.

No one was going to be able to take these experiences from him, ones he had longed to share with none other than Samantha, the one woman he had always loved.

Whoa, he stopped short on that current train of thought and cursed himself mentally. He wasn't in love with Samantha, lust maybe that was a given especially after these past few weeks. Of course he had been in love with her before, but that was a long time ago. A time when he still believed in love before Samantha had shot him in the head and left him for dead.

He wasn't blameless in their troubled situation, far from it. He knew he had pushed Samantha to a point where she thought there was no other course of action for her to take against him. It had taken him a while to accept the blame on his part and no he hadn't told Samantha of this startling revelation. What good would it do for either them to rehash the past? Nothing was going to change between them.

The only thing that he knew for certain was that there was still an attraction between the two of them, one that Samantha couldn't deny because she had been a more than willing participant in their escapades.

Now there was going to be a new addition to their family whether they liked it or not.

He bent back down to get to the matter at hand as a smile grew on his face, divorce papers, ones that surely would upset Mr. Hernandez and that made things all the better.

EJ was good at being a lawyer, he knew the ends and outs of how to work the legal system thanks primarily due to his perseverance to do the best possible job he could for his family and this document before him was a gem that would speedily have Samantha out of the sham of a marriage she had been foolish enough to begin in the first place.

Yes, things were going his way for a change. Well they would be soon enough as he looked to his watch before a frown crossed his face. It was only a few minutes after five pm; Samantha was supposed to be there by five, no later.

God that woman taxed him heavily, he should have known if he told her to be there at a certain time or else, she would of course chose the or else option. She was going to challenge him at each and every turn, but for once he was ready for her.

EJ DiMera was going to take anything Samantha Gene Brady (he refused to call her Hernandez since no one should be shackled to that idiotic family) could dish out and more.

He'd give her fifteen more minutes to arrive and if she didn't by then, well he'd go find her and when he did she probably wouldn't like the consequences. Then again she just might, she was his soul mate after all.

And before long she would be his wife. This time around though he'd make sure there were no guns around anywhere. A man could only get shot so many times before the odds were not in his favor and he was going to be there when his child was born no matter who and what might try to stop him.

Even Samantha...


	8. Chapter 8

_**Whatcha Say**_

_**Part XV**_

He never should have looked at his watch EJ surmised as the minutes clicked on further past the five pm deadline he had given Samantha for her return to his office. Once he started checking the time it was like he couldn't quit and he kept glancing at his watch repeatedly wondering where in the hell she could be instead of back here with him.

He was finished with the divorce papers and frankly he was more than ready for Rafe to be the recipient of said papers. And he knew it was tempting fate to wish to see the man break down in tears when Samantha informed him it was over.

Rafe deserved a whole rash of heartache for all of his meddling in their lives. Yet he was being denied such a show since of course Samantha was late. This nervous frenetic energy was building inside of him with each passing minute and still no sign of the woman who was the bane of his existence. Well that wasn't exactly true, yes she drove him crazy although he would miss her if she wasn't in his life, but could she just not do as he said for one freaking time?

He shook his head, it wouldn't be Samantha if she kowtowed to anyone, she did what she wanted, the consequences be damned and he'd been front row and center for many of her act now, think much later if ever schemes she had concocted over the years. He knew better Samantha and ultimatums usually didn't fare well for the person demanding action from her if she didn't want to do what was being requested of her.

Which of course made him second guess himself as to why he had in the first place demanded she be back in his office at a certain never mind the outrageous demand of telling her she would move into the mansion with him and they'd be married before this new baby was born.

"Damn it, I will not wait here for her like some lovesick fool, just wishing she'd grace me with her presence," he muttered as he quickly pushed back his chair and readied himself to go find her if need be because she was going to serve Rafe with these freaking divorce papers. No way in hell was he going to allow her to stay married to that idiot when she was expecting his child.

He was about to head out the door, when he heard her speaking to Kiaya in less than friendly tones telling her that she'd see him whenever she wanted to and there was no appointment necessary and if she wanted to keep her current employment she better damn well let her in to see him.

He quickly tossed off his jacket and scrambled to get back into his seat before she finished her tirade with poor Kiaya, reached to get his glasses and picked up some papers to make him appear as if he was deeply engrossed in his work. God forbid if she thought he had been worried that she wouldn't even show up this evening.

He took a steadying breath and hoped he had a studious countenance upon his features when finally she opened the door apparently cursing under her breath about freakishly over endowed Amazons or some other kind of nonsense. He kept his eyes on his work even though he didn't see a word of it; all he could think of was how glad he was that she had come back even if she seemed to be in a pissy mood.

He knew he couldn't smile or smirk at her, or she'd pitch a fit with a great possibility of her breaking some kind of furniture in his office, he could sense the anger emoting off her like waves from the ocean without even glancing at her face.

He let her stand there for a minute or so, pretending to be so wrapped up in his work that he didn't even realize she was standing there even though he always knew when she entered the room. It was like some kind of weird sixth sense, he didn't see dead people; no instead he was the lucky one to feel her energy whenever she was near and right now the air was practically cracking around her.

She cleared her throat and tapped her foot impatiently and it took everything he had in him not to scatter all the contents on his desk and lay her on it, ravishing that hot body of hers.

_Calm yourself down ol' boy he spoke to himself, don't let her see how badly you want her. South of the border was mocking him, saying well you better not stand up anytime soon or she'll be sure to see what is dying to greet her._

"I'm here," was all she said, the contempt dripping with just those two words.

Well here goes nothing.

Showtime…


	9. Chapter 9

**Whatcha Say  
>Part XVI<strong>

"So nice of you to drop by to see me," EJ began as he took off his glasses and pushed back from the desk to rise to greet her.

Sami rolled her eyes, "You know damn well why I am here and it wasn't in any shape or form to just drop by and see you. As I recall you ordered me back here or else."

"Ordered is such an exaggeration Samantha, I merely wanted you to return so that we could visit Mr. Hernandez since you have something you need to give him."

"A blow…"

"Dear God no," EJ interrupted her before she could say more.

"Your mind is in the gutter. I meant blow as in…"

EJ put his hands to his ears, he didn't want to envision Samantha blowing anything on Rafe, and in fact she needed to stay away from Hernandez forever, starting tonight.

Sami jerked his hands down from his ears, "Seriously, you think I want to touch Rafe again, much less put my mouth on his…?"

EJ put a finger to her mouth to keep her from finishing that particular statement and eyed her skeptically, "I really never know with you."

Sami was tempted to bite that finger EJ had put in front of her lips, but then she thought better of it. She'd play with that little insecurity of his he had concerning Rafe instead. "Well if you want me to I guess I can…"

"No!" EJ stated so emphatically it almost made Sami burst out into laughter, really it was quite comical to see EJ get so overwrought, and maybe she should put up more of a fight not to divorce Rafe even though she had been ready to dissolve this marriage for some time now.

"No what EJ?"

"I don't want you touching Rafe ever again, especially since you are carrying my child."

"Oh that," Sami deadpanned.

"Yes that, you are going to say adios to Mr. Hernandez and maybe we'll get lucky enough that he'll leave town."

"If I had a dollar for every time I had heard that exact same sentiment about you, well I'd be rich instead of knocked up. Damn the ironies of fate," Sami said matter of fact as she backed away from EJ and started to walk away from him.

He caught her arm before she could retreat and before he could stop himself he asked softly, "You still believe in fate?"

Oh no she wasn't going to let EJ DiMera worm his way back into her heart again even though she'd been in his bed and various other sundry places with him for weeks on end since that first tryst they had at the DiMera pool house. They may have a physical connection or rather had a physical connection, but she wasn't going to embark on an emotional one with him ever again.

She shook her head in negation to his question and posed one back to him of her own, "Not much reason to believe in such fairy tale nonsense now is there?"

EJ felt his heart fall a bit, for a moment there he thought she still might feel something for him beyond scorn, but he knew it was too much to ask for, much less believe in, especially after everything they had been through together. Too much ugliness had ensued and all the fucking in the world wasn't going to make her love him even though he doubted she'd let him touch her now that she was pregnant and he'd made threats to her earlier this afternoon.

So he lied to her like he had countless times before, "None at all Samantha."

"Good, glad to see we're on the same page here. All we've had was a brief fling, nothing more."

"A mere dalliance," EJ agreed quickly, not wanting her to think he had thought what had happened between them had been anything more than sex.

Well awesome sex, rather spectacular sex on most occasions. Mind blowing incredible sex with one another.

They didn't love each other, they were just going to be parents again and he'd best keep his distance from her so she couldn't break what was left of his heart.

He'd find a way to steel himself against her charms, he'd done a pretty good job of it after she had shot him, he just needed to remember what havoc this fiery female could rain down upon him if she so chose to do so. Better to make her hate him even more.

"Well we need to get going?"

"Look I've been thinking about it and maybe I shouldn't rush into this divorce thing with Rafe."

"Not an option Sunshine, we're going to see Mr. Hernandez right now. Remember he has papers to sign," EJ reached over to his desk and handed the documents to Sami along with a pen.

"You can't force me to sign these papers," she began ready to hand him back his stupid pen.

"No force is needed, you're having my baby and you will not be married to another man in this condition!"

"You got me in this condition," Sami huffed as she went to his desk and furiously scribbled her signature.

EJ came up behind her, trying not to smell her perfume, but she smelled so good. He shut his eyes momentarily and then opened them to bring another paper to the forefront. "This one too."

Sami wanted to jab her elbow into his ribs, but his closeness was doing strange things to her insides, making her want to do foolish things with him, things that get her into the precarious situation in the first place. She told herself not to give into her inner slutty self again, she needed to stay strong and mean what she had told him earlier that he wasn't going to touch her again. She told her daring side to shut up and proceeded to sign the other paper, but not before she shoved her elbow into him, causing him to move back a few inches away from her.

She tried not to giggle as she heard his curse under his breath; good at least she wasn't the only one cursing today. He had got her in the mess; he shouldn't be enjoying it while she was miserable. She turned, handing him the papers with a sickly smile.

"Great, now we can go see Rafe and we'll have this tedious chapter of your life wrapped up," EJ folded up the papers and put them in an envelope, then reached for his jacket. He pulled it on and then motioned for Sami to proceed ahead of him

"Oh goody," Sami uttered sarcastically.

"Glad we can agree on something," EJ said completely ignoring her sarcasm as he opened the door for her as they headed out to go to the loft apartment she had shared with that buffoon.

They didn't speak on the way over to the loft, both lost in their own thoughts. EJ one of happiness that he was going to see Rafe be on the losing side for a change and Sami seeming preoccupied as she stared out the window of his Jaguar.

Finally the car was parked and EJ was ushering Sami into the lift and then they were at the door to that pitiful place Rafe had thought would be presentable living conditions for Sami and it made his blood boil all over again thinking of his children having to all coexist in such cramped conditions all because Sami had insisted Rafe was the love of her life. Well the only good thing was that tonight, that misconception was going to be remedied.

Sami reached for her key inside her handbag, but EJ leaned over her choosing to knock on the door to signal their arrival. Sami shot him a nasty look before Rafe opened up the door, looking rather perplexed to see his wife with DiMera.

"Sami, what are you doing with this scumbag?" Rafe asked transferring the beer he held in his hand to the other one as EJ pushed the door open wider for them both to enter into the loft apartment.

Sami didn't say anything, just looked down, which only infuriated EJ, how dare Sami shrink in front of this hypocritical jerk, this man had made her lose her magnificence by his dismal presence.

"DiMera, I don't know what you're up to, but you need to leave us alone."

"You idiot there is no us where you and Samantha are concerned," EJ began not being able to hold his tongue.

"I beg to differ, Sami is my wife, not yours," Rafe proudly boasted as if Sami were a prize and he was the winner.

"Not for long," EJ stated as he nudged Sami gently.

"Sami what is EJ talking about? Is he trying to blackmail you again?"

EJ shook his head, "No blackmail needed this time Hernandez, in fact…"

"Enough EJ," Sami said tersely as she held out the papers for Rafe to take from her.

"What's this Sami?" Rafe asked looking very confused by her actions.

"Just read it Rafe," Sami said tiredly as Rafe began to look over the papers. He almost dropped his beer and then unsteadily placed it on the coffee table in front of him as he sunk down on the sofa.

Sami hated this, hated it all, this was her making and decision, but still she felt terrible when Rafe started sniffling and then when EJ began chuckling over Rafe being upset she turned to him with a death stare and whispered, "Stop it EJ."

"Sami you can't divorce me. I still love you," Rafe was openly crying now not even aware of Sami and EJ's exchange going on above his head. He knew things hadn't been the same between them since he had returned home, but he assumed things would return to normal sometime.

"Well she doesn't love you," EJ retorted which earned him a spiked heel in his favorite Italian shoes. Damn it he bet she had ruined them as she ground her heel in as EJ placed hands on her shoulders trying to get her to stop without crying out.

Sami let up her heel and sat down next to Rafe, "This is for the best Rafe. You know things have been difficult lately."

"Because of that lying bastard," Rafe sobbed like a small child.

"EJ didn't make me do this Rafe. I decided this all on my own. We made a mistake when we got married again. I was upset with EJ for lying to me about Sydney and I wanted to hurt him and me marrying you was the best way for me to accomplish that at the time. I wasn't thinking clearly and we shouldn't have rushed into things like we did by getting married."

EJ stood stock still, while he had thought Sami might have been marrying Rafe in haste so quickly after their non wedding for her to admit it was another matter entirely.

"You didn't love me?" Rafe was all out blubbering now.

"Rafe, you just need to sign the papers, go on with your life and find someone who can truly love you and make you happy." Sami held out the pen for him to take so that he could sign the divorce papers too.

"You make me happy," he bawled to which EJ handed him a handkerchief.

Sami glared up at EJ as he upturned his hands acting like he was just trying to help Rafe out with this outburst of sorrow.

"There's someone out there for you, but it isn't me. I've been pretending for a while to be something that I'm not and now I need to set you free so that you can be truly happy with someone else." Sami spoke quietly wishing EJ couldn't hear every single word she was saying, but she had no choice in the matter, if she didn't get Rafe to sign the papers she was sure EJ would blurt out that she was pregnant and that was something she just didn't think she could deal with today after everything else that had happened.

EJ tried not to smile, he knew she'd been playacting at being the happy housewife, those hideous plaid clothes she had worn and all her proclamations of loving Rafe had been a complete farce. One to fool him apparently which made him hope that maybe if Sami had been pretending about Rafe maybe she really had loved him all along instead.

Rafe tearfully scribbled his signature and then EJ had to nudge Sami for him to sign the other paper as well which only earned him another death stare from her. Rafe shakily signed the other paper upon which EJ immediately swiped the papers from him so that they wouldn't be tearstained.

Well maybe she didn't care for him much right now, but he'd file these papers with the court tomorrow and before long Samantha would be a free woman, well free long enough to marry him.

He was going to marry her come hell or high water even though right now he wasn't sure which one would be worse considering how upset Samantha seemed to be as they left the apartment. He'd give her some time, she'd see this was all for the best. Marrying him was the right thing to do.

At least he hoped so…


	10. Chapter 10

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XVII**

Sami was practically seething with anger as she and EJ exited the building she had presided in for the past year, give or take a few months. In all honesty she wasn't upset with leaving the loft apartment behind, but the fact that EJ thought he was most definitely in control of the situation was what was bothering her more.

EJ now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt she had used Rafe to get back at him, to hurt him and make him jealous even though her plan had sure backfired on her after everything had been said and done. She had never thought EJ would have taken the children away from her, and it still stung remembering he had brought Nicole with him to extract his revenge upon her that fateful winter evening when she had decided to wed Rafe.

Even to this day she despised Nicole and she probably always would and for EJ to have forgiven her for stealing their baby only made it worse, then again EJ had stolen Sydney from her as well. It was a never ending circle of devious schemes and plans that they had played with one another and now it hit her that not only had she given up her safety net of having Rafe in her corner she had willingly slept with the enemy, EJ DiMera, several times in fact.

EJ wasn't to be trusted, why he might even try to take the children from her again if she didn't go ahead and follow this crazy plan of his that they should be married before this next baby is born if he deemed since she didn't have any hard proof he had been behind the whole Rafe switching debacle. Yet her impetuous actions concerning EJ had once again put her in a precarious position where she would have to be on her guard against him all the time.

_EJ could hurt her more than anyone else in this entire world and she would be a fool if she ever forgot it._

She felt his hand on the small of her back trying to guide her to his car after they entered the parking deck and she wanted to jerk away from him, to wipe the smirk off his face. She knew EJ was inwardly gloating after she had given Rafe the divorce papers and told the poor man the real reason as to why she had married him in the first place.

Imparting information like that within earshot of EJ had been difficult, now it was one more thing he could hold over her in a never ending list of bad choices she had made concerning men. She really didn't even want to look him in the eye because she was afraid when she did she might see something in his eyes that would surely be bordering on the side of triumph for him, one more indication he was getting his way with her again.

She tried to increase her stride to pull ahead and thus away from him, yet even when she sped up EJ's long legs had no trouble keeping up with her. Just another reason to be mad at him, one of many because she wasn't going to admit to him she was just as much to blame about being in the mess as he was, her determination to make EJ pay had backfired drastically. Now instead of four children, she would be the mother of five, three of these belonging to the man she claimed to loathe on a daily basis to anyone who would listen.

She dreaded going to the mansion with him, because this would be another victory for EJ. He had wanted his children living with him under his roof, yet it vexed her that she had almost been able to ensure they wouldn't ever stay at the haunted mansion again. She had been so close to proving EJ was behind the faux Rafe scheme and then her body had betrayed her.

_Then it hit her, she wasn't going to the DiMera mansion even if she had to kick and scream her way out of it. She wasn't going to reside in a place that Stefano DiMera lived in as long as she had breath in her body._

She stood stonily silent when they reached his car and even when EJ opened the door she didn't make a move to get inside the vehicle. When it was apparent she was giving EJ a standoff about entering the vehicle he tried to wait her out, although minutes passed while he stood there by the open passenger car door and she still wouldn't budge.

"Come on Samantha it's getting late," EJ gestured with an exaggerated sweep of his hand for her to get in the car.

Sami acted like she didn't hear him. She wouldn't even look up at him, just kept staring off in space, wishing she was somewhere else, anywhere really because she knew when she got into the car this time, it was just the beginning of things to come in which EJ was going to lord over her. How and why she got into these situations with him in the first place would make a shrink's career. With the thought of her mental state at the present time it made her think of her mother and god only knew how she would react to the news that she was going back to EJ once more.

Well not really going back to him per se, she wasn't going to sleep with him anymore and if she could finagle it she wasn't going to marry him again either. The major stickler was he seemed pretty determined this time around she was going to do what he said and he had told her in no uncertain terms that they were going to get married.

Didn't EJ realize marriage and her didn't mix? It was a proven fact as soon as she said _I do_ to whatever man she promised to love until death do they part most times before the ink was dry on the marriage license things went to hell pretty quickly. This was all such a huge mistake, one of epic proportions as she shook her head, not realizing she had spoken those words aloud to EJ while she stood her ground against him.

"Just stop it," he said, cutting her off before she could say more about how this was such a bad idea and if he heard any laments about the preposterous marriage she had ended with Rafe he was going to blow a gasket for sure. "If you use the word mistake in reference to us being together now comparing what we have against that sham of a marriage you had with Rafe, I'm going to lose my freaking mind."

She cast him an incredulous stare, "Us being together?"

"Samantha we are having another child together, our third in fact, so yes, I consider us together for better or worse."

"It'll be worse," Sami muttered under her breath as she crossed her arms under her chest and tapped her right foot against the pavement of the parking garage.

She was so damn stubborn, he really didn't want to have to bodily put her in the car, but if she kept spouting off this nonsense of mistakes they were making he was going to pick her up and place her derriere firmly in the passenger seat of the car. As the seconds passed the thought grew in appeal along with another one in which he realized she turned him on so much with her defiance to him and his suggestions that all he really wanted to do was push her up against the car and kiss her senseless to show her they weren't the mistake, what they had was real, had been real from day one.

Why did she fight him and claim there was nothing between them when fate was screaming at them both they belonged with one another? Neither one of them were going to be satisfied with anyone else, god knew they had tried being in different relationships with other people and each time those relationships ended for some inane reason or another.

Oh damn, he just didn't equate that damnable word fate and them again. Samantha had told him earlier it wasn't so, but it had to be or things would have turned out differently this go round especially after she had shot him. Thank goodness he was thinking of something to get his mind off of wanting to kiss those pouty lips of hers again, he needed to remember she was deadly when she was pushed up against a wall.

Then again, this was only his car, not a wall per se, so maybe she'd react differently to his advances. He closed the gap between them before his mind could tell him this was a bad idea and pulled her against him drawing her mouth into an almost punishing kiss.

Sami felt like she was once again falling into the maddening abyss only EJ could take her to whenever he touched her. Her mind was screaming that she should push him away, run away from him like she used to do when he got too close, yet she didn't want to push him away just yet.

Somewhere along the line he deepened their kiss even more, although now he was becoming gentle with her instead of the demanding kiss he had begun with her minutes before. He had her back up against the car and idiot she was she clung to him instead of pushing him away. She felt him harden against her and still she didn't do anything to tell him to get the hell off of her. Instead she pressed into him even more and heard him groan in appreciation of her action. Then somehow her hand wound up stroking the long hard length of him through his pants.

He lifted her slightly to align her body with his because if she kept touching him he was going to cum in his pants before he ever had a chance to enter her. He moved his hands under the sexy short skirt she was wearing, he had to touch her. He knew she had to be as turned on as he was right now which made him all the more desperate to be with her again.

Sami felt her excitement growing when he brushed his hand over her panties, not yet moving the lacy material away from her, but he could feel how ready she was for him even the barrier of her panties between them.

"So wet," he said with awe in his voice, more to himself than to her and she almost came then until suddenly they both heard a car enter the parking garage and they realized where they were and what they were about to do with one another.

"Damn it," EJ swore as he shielded his body over hers. This was all he needed was for them to be caught out in public fucking because he would get blamed for taking advantage of her. He felt Samantha slide down away from his grasp and maneuver into the passenger seat of the car, ducking her head down as she quickly pulled the door shut while he tried his best to compose himself and get into the car too before they ran into anyone they knew.

when he shut the door to the car incasing them into the space together he really didn't know what he was going to say to her and was surprised when she was the first to speak instead.

In the short time she had sat in the car the thought dawned on her. This was her chance to prevent her from having to move into the mansion with EJ and his psychotic father Stefano. She tried not to smile because smiling would surely give away impromptu plan.

"Please don't make me go to the mansion EJ, you know how much I hate it there."

Ah, there it was the plaintive pleading tone in her voice she used when she was trying to wheedle her way out of something she didn't want to do. He was surprised she hadn't turned on the waterworks of tears with him too. He should have known she was going to use whatever means necessary to ensure they wouldn't be together. It was like he could see into the machinations of her devious mind trying to figure out a plan to thwart him like she always tried to do when things got too intimate between them.

Well he'd just ask her point blank, no sense beating around the bush with her. "Samantha, are you going to back out on our deal?"

Well she had thought about it even if she wasn't going to admit it to him. She knew there was something between them even if she wasn't going to let him be privy to that information. She would continue to claim it was only a physical attraction they shared no matter how EJ made heart race even when he wasn't touching her.

And right now after kissing him against the car she wanted to be touching him again even though she knew it wasn't a good idea for either one of them. EJ's kisses clouded her judgment and when she factored in the incredible orgasms he could give her most times it made her mind turn to mush beyond the quest to reach that physical release he could and did provide for her each and every time they took things to that level.

She shook her head demurely, knowing she had to think fast on her feet so to speak or her plan to do anything possible not to live in the haunted mansion would fail before it was even fully launched. "I won't back out, because our children and this baby we carelessly conceived this time around need stability, not chaos, but EJ please let's find some kind of neutral ground. If you're serious about wanting to marry me, then prove it to me. Move out of the mansion and we find somewhere else to raise our children together."

Oh he had to give her credit, she was pulling out the big guns on him, trying to guilt him into thinking this was for the children, when he was sure she was just wanting to have things her way instead of his idea of taking her and the children back to the mansion with him tonight. She had to be stalling for time, saying anything to keep them apart.

"Father will be angry…" he began only to have Sami counter right back to him before he could finish his sentence to her.

"And you think my parents; my entire family isn't going to be angry with me? You know how they will treat me when they hear the news. Once again I'll be the Brady misfit, the one fuckup in the saintly Brady clan…"

To hear her speak of how much her family would degrade her for her choices if she ever tried to think differently than by their hypocritical standards made his blood boil. None of those imbeciles in her family could see how incredible she was, how she had such a wild spirit about her that they tried to tamp down at each and every turn by their impossible rules of how she should live her life. They always tried to reign in what he thought was the thing that set her apart from their rather tame and mundane personalities.

"You're better than all of them combined Samantha. I tried to tell you years ago if they can't see how magnificent you are, they should all just go to hell. You're incredible, one of a kind who doesn't have to bend to their will to be loved. Why can't you see that? You have a fire and brilliance inside you that outshines every one of them."

Sami snorted her disbelief over his declaration; EJ was being delusional if he thought a single Brady would be rejoicing over the fact she was divorcing Rafe to marry what they all deemed was a damnable DiMera. "They'll all turn on me so quick it will make your head spin, especially when they hear the news that we're having another baby."

"I'll tell them," EJ offered up to her. "I won't let you face them alone."

Apparently his words fell on deaf ears because she spoke in soft tones, "Oh well, it won't be the first time I've disappointed them," Sami let her voice trail off as she turned away from his face and looked out the window.

"I'll move out of the mansion," EJ conceded realizing while his father was going to be upset with him, at least his entire family wouldn't turn their back on him for wanting to be with the woman he loved. "We'll go find something tomorrow. I know some realtors who would do anything to get a commission and if I pit a few of them against each other, we'll be able to find a place that will suit us both by the end of the day."

Oh hell, it hit him and hit him hard, he most definitely was in love with her again, but he would hide it from her because she'd never love him in return.

"I guess I can go to the Pub tonight," Sami said as she realized she really had nowhere else to go since she had broken the news to Rafe that she wanted a divorce. "Mom has the kids with her tonight because I didn't know how long it would take at Rafe's even though I didn't tell her the true reason as to why I needed her to keep the children. I just can't face her tonight."

"We'll get a hotel room," EJ offered up only to have Sami turn back to face him with a wary look on her face. "To sleep Samantha, not to fool around with one another, I know you have to be tired."

Sami still didn't look like she believed him so he added, "We could go to the new hotel on the outskirts of town, I think it's called Hotel Indigo if you don't want to go to the Salem Inn?"

"I'll never step back into the Salem Inn ever again. The last time I was there was when…" she stopped herself before she admitted it was the night she had discovered EJ had slept with Nicole after she had given him back her wedding rings and told him there wasn't a chance for them to be together.

EJ immediately knew what she was about to say and could have kicked himself for even bringing up the suggestion of going to the place where Samantha had caught him coming out of the elevator all disheveled after he had sex with Nicole. If she only knew it had been her name that had come out of his mouth; he had been wishing it had been her with him that night instead of Nicole. If he hadn't of ever slept with Nicole things would have been so different, why they might have worked things out and none of the ugliness would have transpired between them these past few years.

He couldn't change the past, he'd fucked up royally with his witless plan to make Samantha jealous by using Nicole and it might take years for Samantha to ever truly forgive him and he in turn her for all their misdeeds against each other. But maybe he could change the future; he would do right by Samantha now even if she never returned his love. He could make things better for her instead of worse if she'd only give him the chance.

"Samantha, I'm not asking you to elope with me tonight, just trying to finding a place to get some rest. It's been a long day for both of us with the news of the baby."

She nodded her head, and conceded defeat, there was no way EJ was going to drop her off somewhere without him by her side, "I guess we could go to the new place you suggested to stay the night."

She hated to admit it, but she was tired and maybe somehow she could get some sleep even if EJ was in the same room with her. She knew better than to hope he would put them in separate rooms, why given the opportunity she'd sneak her way out and be on her way to escape Salem before the morning's dawn with the kids in tow.

"All right, we'll try to get a good night's sleep and hopefully by tomorrow night we will have a new place to call home."

Home, what kind of trick was EJ trying to pull with her now? He had to be weaving some kind of web of deceit to get her to believe he was really sincere and wanting only the best for her, so she guessed she should play along for now until she could get a solid plan of action to get her out of this fucked up situation with her heart in one piece.

"Thank you EJ. I appreciate your understanding why I didn't want to live at the mansion." She buckled her seatbelt and tried to appear to be complacent to his wishes.

Her acquiesce caught him off guard, Samantha was thanking him and going along with him, not even putting up more of a fight to his suggestions of what they should do tonight and tomorrow. This new attitude of hers wasn't lost on EJ. It was a rarity indeed if he ever heard a thank you from Samantha over anything he did, but he wasn't going to comment on it either and spoil the mood between them. Perhaps he needed to quit being so suspicious of her motives and instead this was her attempt at taking a small step in the right direction; maybe they had found some kind of middle ground without having World War III in the process of reaching a decision.

Possibly things could work out for them, and then he shook his head thinking he needed to be realistic, Samantha was tired not grateful for his help in anything. He needed to keep his head out of the clouds, yes they were going to be living together, but it wasn't because they were in love with each other. He didn't need to give her the knowledge that she always had power over him because when he was with her he couldn't help but want more and more from her. Samantha was like some kind of magical elusive drug to him.

A drug he didn't need to partake of because if he was smart he wouldn't fall back into her false charms of him having a happily ever after life with her. He knew all the ends and outs of one sided love where Samantha was concerned and if he was smart he'd keep his foolish declarations of love for her to himself.

It was the only way to protect him from her. The only way at all…


	11. Chapter 11

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XVIII**

Of course Hotel Indigo was booked to the max due to the upcoming holiday weekend and if he hadn't of been a DiMera he wouldn't have even been able to procure a room for them, but the concierge on duty at the hotel was a woman who'd eyed him in an appreciatory manner as soon as he had walked into the door. It wasn't a lie that he'd been known to be able to charm more than a few women in his time even if he didn't ever seem to be able to charm the borderline scowling woman who was now accompanying him to the suite he had managed to wrangle for them with a mere smile and a wink.

Thank goodness Samantha hadn't walked in with him or he doubted with him being on his best behavior that he would have been able to get this room that no doubt would bump some poor unsuspecting fool when he came in later tonight to check in to the hotel and find out that by some mishap his reservation had gotten lost. Sometimes his looks helped him, well most times they did unless it concerned the vixen whom he caught rolling her eyes at him when she thought he wasn't looking at her, especially on the ride up in the elevator.

He guessed elevators were not going to be a good place for them to be if she still harbored such ill will over his tryst with Nicole in one years ago at the Salem Inn, but damn it Samantha had pushed him away one time too many that day and he had thought all had been lost back then. He never expected another chance with Samantha, but look at them now. She was here with him, expecting another child by him no less and they were even sharing a hotel room with one another.

Well he didn't know how much sharing they would be doing. Samantha never did appreciate the hoops he jumped through for her and he guessed she wouldn't start showing any kind of appreciation to him tonight. Not that he expected much from her, in fact, their coming together or whatever label he could put on their sexcapades over the last few months had shocked the hell out of him for the most part.

The first time in the pool house when she had come back to confront him he'd been in a devil may care mood and just seized the opportunity when it had presented itself to him in the form of a very sexy pissed off Samantha Gene Brady. Although he hadn't expected her to come back that day or as the case may be she simply refused to leave his house after he had walked away from her.

Damn that woman and her need to be right in every situation that pertained to him, but it had been an interesting afternoon and evening that crazy day which somehow had morphed into them tearing each other's clothes off or at the very least partially removing enough clothes for a quick coupling whenever they were alone with one another for any length of time. At first he denied to himself that he was seeking her out because the thrill of their physical contacts had been hot, smoking hot and each time he had told himself that was the last time he was going to succumb to her feminine wiles he'd lose the battle.

He wondered if she felt the way about him as well when thankfully the elevator doors finally opened on the floor their room was located and it brought him out of his present reverie over how by even a look Samantha could make him throw caution to the wind, anything to be with her even if it was only for sex as she had claimed each time.

Too bad even with his charm he hadn't been able to get them a penthouse suite, but then again maybe that wasn't a bad thing when they entered the spacious room, it was nice and he was extremely picky concerning his accommodations whenever he stayed in a hotel. Yes, he knew he was a snob on some certain levels, living conditions were one of them, people lacking intelligence was another to name a few, but he thought he would be that way even if he wasn't a DiMera.

Coming from a family of wealth and power had its quirks and as he looked over to Samantha who was eying the spacious king bed with another of her infamous eye roll's it also had its downfalls. The Brady's in general scoffed at such things as ill gotten gains they claimed the DiMera's took from poor unfortunate souls who had the misfortune of dealing with them.

Looking at Samantha, he didn't view her as poor or god forbid unfortunate even if she eyed the room as if it was crawling with vermin instead of being exceptional accommodations in Salem especially on such short notice. He could only imagine what was going to come out of her mouth when she decided to grace him with her views on this latest venture they had somehow found themselves in with one another.

"You absolutely sure this was the only room available?" Sami asked as she continued to survey the room with a critical eye.

"Sunshine, I had to beg the woman to let me have this room, it was reserved for someone else, but she gave me a break when I pleaded my case and gave me the room anyway."

"I'm sure you uttered a few phrases in that annoying accent of yours, batted your pretty eyes at her and she was ready to drop her panties for you if you asked her much less give you a room for the night," Sami stated as she casually strolled over to the window and peered out at the view.

"I'll have you know my accent is not annoying, you secretly love it, most women do," EJ declared as he came up behind her, bent down and rested his chin on her shoulder even though it would be a miracle if she didn't shove him away from her. "You even admitted my eyes were pretty, even though I'd prefer the term in some sort of masculine form if you don't mind. Plus in my opinion panties are so overrated especially when it hinders me from taking what I want from you."

"I was talking about other women who seem to lose all sense of reason when it comes to you, not me," she snorted her disdain as well as she could and tried to dislodge his chin to no avail. When EJ didn't want to move it was almost near impossible to get him to budge as she could attest to the fact especially when she was angry with him and wanted him off from on top of her. Then again, she never did protest too much when he started kissing her or running those amazing hands of his over her body.

She felt herself go all tingly from thoughts of the things they had done to one another lately and it angered her even further. Why did EJ have to be so damn good looking? Especially when he turned those eyes on her and she was the one who was ready to drop anything, especially her panties if it meant he would touch her in all the right spots and made her cum continuously for what felt like hours on end once they got started with one another. Why just thinking about those things made her instinctively rub her back against him instead of trying to push him away from her.

He almost wanted to laugh when she spouted off such rubbish to him, she was the fickle one who kept running hot then cold on him and had done so for years, more cold than hot even though the odds had been more in favor of hot from her lately. Her eyes were the ones who haunted his dreams and kept his fantasies of what he wanted to do to her in extremely vivid detail.

So it was no surprise when he turned her slightly to look at her that her eyes were the one captivating him and by god he wanted her all over again. It wasn't like they had to worry about pregnancy, she already was expecting even if she wasn't starting to show.

The thought of her carrying his child should have brought him to a harsh reality that from what she had told him today she wasn't excited about the prospect of having another child, especially with him, but reason usually flew out the window when they were this close to one another and alone without anyone else around. His dick usually overrode his entire thought process beyond being able to sink into her supple body and sate his ever growing appetite he had for her.

So he could let his conscience be his guide, be a true gentleman and let her have the bed and for him offer to sleep on the couch, but damn it he wanted to touch her, to kiss her and lose himself within her. Samantha might tell him all day she didn't care about him, but sometimes there were brief moments when he thought he saw a glimmer of something else from her, like she was allowing him into places she didn't let anyone else into and then as quickly as he thought it was happening her face would change and it was gone like it hadn't ever been there in the first place.

God he wanted to break down those damnable walls she had built, he wanted to see that flicker of kinship he only felt with her be with him for more than just a few fleeting seconds. So badly he wanted to see that side of her that he reached down, tugged at her wrists slightly and pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head instead of her mouth he so desperately wanted to plunder because hers kisses were so sweet.

He tried not to pull her too close when he turned her to face him or she'd feel the hard on he was sporting and he needed to think of her needs instead of his and put her wellbeing ahead of his libido. He pulled back to meet a puzzled expression from Samantha, but puzzled was better than angry which was what she had been when she walked into the room with him minutes earlier.

"How about we order some room service? I should have thought to get you something to eat earlier, but I wasn't thinking clearly after we left Rafe's. I'm kind of hungry, aren't you?"

Sami was surprised, she had thought they were headed in another direction entirely before EJ had pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead because she had been around him enough to know exactly when EJ wanted her, granted it was usually a direction that spelled trouble for them, but one they had fell into countless times lately.

She tried to hide her confusion, it wasn't a good thing for EJ to think he had her off kilter by his actions so she shrugged and acted like that was her plan all along. "Thank goodness you're hungry because I'm starved."

Starved for what she wasn't saying, no need to inflate his ego anymore than it already was and in all honestly she needed to eat healthy and regularly since she was pregnant. So it was all good, they'd order room service and afterwards she'd go to bed and sleep.

She didn't need to be doing else with EJ besides sleeping. Yes some good fortifying food and sleep would be much better than having sex with EJ again.

Well she could lie to herself that it was better, she was pretty good at lying and hopefully after she ate she'd be so full that sleep would naturally come afterwards for her.

At least she hoped it would…


	12. Chapter 12

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XIX**

The room service food was excellent or maybe it was because she really was hungry for food too after all. She hadn't ordered anything greasy because she didn't think her stomach could handle it. The salad and fruit she ate helped staved off her hunger and even better was the fact so far her meal seemed to be agreeing with her. She had been very sick this morning throwing up and she didn't know if she would be nauseous into the evening as well. Morning sickness was awful, even more if she had it all day like she had on some occasions with her previous pregnancies.

She was going to take the best possible care of herself this pregnancy, this time around there would be no hiding it from the rest of the world while she was hid away in some safe house where no one could see her. Well she hadn't announced her pregnancy to the rest of the world just yet, she'd only told EJ, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She never wanted to relieve the pain and anguish that her actions in not telling EJ about Sydney had caused to them both and to the people surrounding them.

She'd known she really fucked up everything badly by her silence. If she'd been honest with EJ from the moment she had found out she was pregnant with Sydney what might have occurred? Then again she wouldn't have had the opportunity to know Grace either, so maybe what had happened had been the way things were supposed to have worked out even if it had been with disastrous results.

EJ took their now finished plates and opened the door to place them outside for the wait staff to pick up when they did their nightly rounds. He went to the mini fridge to get them both some bottled water and handed one of them to her. She accepted it readily; she was still thirsty and opened it up to take a sip.

"You've grown quiet on me all of the sudden," EJ observed when Sami didn't seem forthcoming on any type of conversation with him after their makeshift room service dinner they'd had with one another. "What are you thinking about?"

"The right question might be what I am not thinking about at the moment?" Sami offered up as she screwed back the lid on her drink and then flopped down on the bed and shielded her eyes with one arm over them. She didn't like all of this self observation she was having within herself and then having EJ question what was on her mind could have them venturing into territory she was afraid to reveal to him.

EJ cautiously moved over to the bed since he had been sitting in one of the chairs the room provided and leaned over to her. "Samantha, are you feeling all right? Do you need for me to get you something? I'll get you anything you want, all you have to do is ask me."

She could see the concern in his eyes, sometimes when she least expected it EJ could be so sweet. Whoa she needed to stop thinking of EJ in terms of being sweet. Those words shouldn't be used in the same sentence. She needed to remember EJ was the man who had threatened her if she didn't agree to marry him after her divorce to Rafe was finalized.

Sami decided to sit up instead of trying to hide away from her problems like she usually did. She needed to try to continue to be as honest with EJ as she possibly could be without telling him how she really felt about him. Divulging something that huge would lead to all kinds of other problems between them they didn't need to have to deal with tonight especially since her news of her pregnancy was a bit of a shock to them both.

"I'm feeling fine EJ. You don't need to worry about me," Sami said quietly as she tried to put off his observation of her he seemed to be doing at the moment.

"May I sit down beside you?" EJ asked hoping she would at least allow him to get a little bit closer to her because he knew something was up with her. If Samantha wasn't trying to fight with him to get in the last word then something was off.

"Sure," Sami scooted over so that EJ could sit down beside her on the bed.

"Thank you," EJ said and then hoped she'd be more forthcoming as to why she had become so quiet with him in such a short period of time. When it looked like she wasn't going to say anything else to him he decided to tell her what was on his mind instead. "I do worry about you. I know today has been kind of a difficult one."

"Kind of a difficult day?" Sami scoffed before continuing, "Oh you mean realizing I was pregnant again? Yeah, that wasn't something I was anticipating on happening to me, then again we weren't being careful at all. I should have been more responsible."

EJ wasn't going to let her shoulder the blame of the pregnancy all upon herself, "I could have worn condoms when we were having sex. I knew you weren't on the pill, or at least you had told me when we were married before birth control pills gave you terrible headaches and I should have realized that you wouldn't have wanted to take them when you were married to Rafe."

"I really don't want to talk to you about Rafe," Sami raised up a hand to prevent him from saying more to her about her soon to be ex-husband. It was a difficult enough subject for them to deal with her being pregnant much less delve into the intimacies of her being married to Rafe.

"Oh believe me, Rafe Hernandez is not a topic of conversation I want to ever revisit after your divorce to him is finalized. I despise him more than anyone else on the planet."

"Kind of like how I despise Nicole, your ex-wife, aka the baby stealer?" Sami asked not being able to help herself from bringing up that shrew's name.

"Let's not even go there Samantha because Rafe was just fine with stealing my child from me without a second's bit of hesitation," EJ fired back, not wanting to fight with her, but she couldn't dispute that Rafe wasn't all holier than thou like he tried to portray to everyone in Salem.

"Not the same thing EJ," Sami countered back shaking her head in negation.

"Yes it is, he planned to adopt my child without me ever finding out about it and you were going to let him," EJ started to tense up, he hadn't wanted the conversation to go in this direction, but he be damned if he'd let her continue to place Rafe on a pedestal either.

He guessed he shouldn't have blamed Samantha, but when he thought back to the night he had overheard Samantha and Rafe discussing that they would have done the same thing all over again, it still made him furious to this very day. He braced himself for her to begin slinging all kind of accusations at him as to why she had chosen to let Rafe interfere in their lives, but surprisingly she didn't say a word in reprisal.

"You're right I shouldn't have allowed Rafe to cloud my judgment where you were concerned. I was so upset with you for choosing Nicole over me and because I was hurt I made some pretty stupid decisions which affected all of us in very different ways."

Well he sure hadn't been expecting that kind of confession from Samantha ever; she wasn't one to admit mistakes, at least not to him. He guessed if she was being honest he could do the same at least to some degree with her.

"If I'd ever known you were pregnant I never would have even given Nicole the time of day, much less married her."

"She was expecting your child too," Sami replied matter of fact and it sure sounded to EJ like the information still bothered her on some level.

"You know I didn't love her," EJ said in a more quiet tone even if he didn't mention what he thought Samantha should have known all along was because he had still been in love with her.

"Could of fooled me, yeah you did since you were the one who got my father to call me while I was in witness protection so you could tell me the grand news of you would be moving on with your life with that skanky two-bit whore."

"I thought I was doing the right thing, I didn't know she'd lost our baby and I would have never went along with her if she had revealed to me that she was going to take another child from someone else to replace the baby we lost."

"Our baby, she stole our baby EJ! And just so you know I cried that night after we hung up the phone until I was ready to throw up over you telling me you didn't want me anymore."

"You actually cried over me?" EJ raised his eyebrow in disbelief over her statement because he remembered their conversation very well; then again he remembered all of their conversations if the truth be told.

"Yes, well I cried after I shattered a flower vase, threw my phone onto the floor breaking it into pieces and generally pitched an all round hissy fit when it was apparent you were going to throw you life away for someone who wasn't worthy of you."

Her last statement caused him to pause momentarily, but he didn't have time to go over semantics with her, "I should have known something wasn't quite right from the time you returned to Salem. Your story about Grace being adopted was a bit far-fetched, but I was being fooled by you all, the whore included."

"At least you see her for what she is now or at least I hope you do," Sami shrugged her shoulders as if the entire matter shouldn't bother her, but it always would bother her, especially whenever Grace's name was also mentioned in a conversation. She turned away from him so that he wouldn't be able to tell that she was close to tears especially whenever she thought of sweet baby Grace, but apparently she hadn't moved quickly enough and EJ saw the anguish reflected in her eyes.

"I shouldn't have brought up Grace's name," EJ didn't want Samantha to cry now, no more than he would have wanted her to cry back then with the exception to that very dark period in his life when it had been revealed that he'd been kept in the dark about Samantha being pregnant with his child and the terrible aftermath of her death. He reached out to her, trying to take her hand in his, but she wouldn't give in to his small gesture. Her reluctance to his advances hurt, he didn't like it when he could see Samantha trying to shut down on her emotions.

"It's okay, I won't ever forget her. I remember the oddest things sometimes like when Will had to take over reading a book for me while I was trying to explain to the twins why Grace wasn't coming home from the hospital after she died. Will read about there would come a time when our sadness and anger would go away. It would be a time where we could be happy again and be able to remember the good times we had again one day." Sami quickly wiped away a tear that started to fall, she wasn't going to break down about losing Grace, she just couldn't or she'd cry for hours on end.

EJ couldn't stop himself; he touched her face, bringing it toward his so they could look at each other in the eye while they spoke, "I want our sadness and anger to go away too. Do you think that is possible? I had thought when we made peace at Grace's grave that we had forgiven each other completely and then things fell apart once more. My jealousy reemerged when you continued to view Rafe as your savior. I can't help it; I hate him."

Sami shook her head yes even though she couldn't form the words and speak them aloud. It had been so hard to move past those awful bleak days. Finally she was able to summon up the courage without crying to say the words to EJ, "This time around things will be different. I'm not hiding my pregnancy from you. In fact you're the only one who does know about it. I haven't even called Dr. Conner yet to set up an appointment."

Could Samantha actually be on the up and up this time with him? The only way he was going to know was to ask her point blank and hope she would somehow tell him the truth, "So this time we're in it together? The whole nine yards, doctor's visits, Lamaze classes, me actually being present when the baby is born, you putting my name down as the father on the birth certificate?"

"Guess so, if you want to be EJ."

"You know I do," EJ replied truthfully, he wanted to be included more than anything, especially where Samantha was concerned.

Sami hesitated for a few seconds and then held out her hand to him, "So let's shake on it."

"No backing out now? You're not going to get mad at me over something I say or do and then not let me be a part of things are you?"

"No backing out, we're partners if you shake on it. That is if you can keep from threatening me every time I don't do things to your liking."

He hated threatening her about anything, but she'd brought him to the brink of insanity one too many times by her lies and game playing. Then again he wasn't one for spouting out the truth too many times and playing games was a specialty of his even if he wasn't very proud of the fact. While he would rather kiss her to seal their agreement, he guessed a handshake would suffice given the circumstances, so he held out his hand and enclosed it over her much smaller one.

"It's a done deal; don't make me regret telling you that you're the father of my baby."

"Our baby," EJ corrected as he shook her hand firmly, refusing to let it go until he looked her fully in the eyes to make sure she understood he had as much of a right to be involved as she did since he was the father.

"Our baby," Sami grudgingly agreed with him even though it was difficult to do that with him most times.

He finally let go of her hand and felt a rush of elation wash over his being. He was going to be a father again and even if Samantha wasn't over the moon excited about it, he was and hopefully in time she would be too. Maybe he could convince her that she was making the right choice this time around or he'd do his best to show her he was worth it.

The words our baby rang in his mind long after Sami yawned signaling it was past time for her to get some sleep. He only hoped he could go to sleep sometime tonight because his mind was racing with the news of a baby on the way and their tentative agreement to work together instead of trying to tear one another apart.

They could do this for their baby, their other children and their family.

Their family, they were actually going to be a family before long. Could this even be true or was he just dreaming of how he wished his life could be with Samantha and the children?

EJ looked at Samantha while she shifted down to a more comfortable resting position on the bed, closing her eyes in the process. He needed to take care of her, take care of them all. He was going to have to make some major changes in his life to prove to her that she wasn't making a mistake by choosing to tell him the truth.

Wow, the truth instead of lying about things. What a surprising concept. One he hoped he could do where it concerned Samantha. Well maybe he could tell her the truth on most things.

The truth something that could make him weak if he were truly honest with Samantha about his feelings. He shook his head, he couldn't be completely honest with her or she would use it against him. So he guessed for now he would be willing to tell the truth on some things, others he would withhold from her. She wasn't asking for entrance into his soul and he wasn't sure that he even had enough of one left after their many battles.

The truth, it was a difficult thing to say. He'd do better hiding his emotions which was something he excelled in unless Samantha got too close. He just couldn't let her get close enough to see into his heart.

So for now he needed to tell the truth only when it was absolutely necessary.

Old habits were hard to break…very hard indeed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Whatcha Say **

**Part XX**

Sami hadn't even realized she had fell asleep until suddenly she was jarred awake from her slumber with the feel of another body was snuggled up beside her with one part of their anatomy clearly awake even if the rest of his body might be sleeping. She shifted slightly to turn her head to look at him to see if he was playing possum with her, but apparently most of EJ was sleeping since he didn't seem to stir when she moved with the exception of him having curled his arm and thus his hand around her midsection in what appeared to be a protective gesture.

It hit her suddenly this was a first for them, to actually fall asleep in bed with one another. Well they had been in bed before, just not to sleep and she certainly hadn't felt comfortable enough with him after they had sex to stay the night. Not that EJ had asked her to stay the night with him since they had begun whatever the hell it was they had been doing with one another for the past two months. Them actually just sleeping together was something that was really intimate as she cocked her head and looked at his sleeping form. His face had a slight shadow of a beard and his hair was not in place. Luckily he still had his clothes on so she instantly knew it wasn't like he had tried to take advantage of her when she had succumbed to sleep earlier after their talk with one another.

She felt disoriented, not really knowing the time, but it had to be late in the night as she turned her head away from him and looked out over the bed to the window which had the curtains opened instead of closed. The sky appeared to be an inky black color with hardly any stars shining or maybe she just couldn't see them from her viewpoint since she was lying on the bed with EJ.

She scooted a little bit to observe him once more, his face in sleep didn't hold the wariness that was ever present when he was dealing with her and she guessed her actions were a part of why he kept on guard with her as she did with him. In this moment, she could admit to herself EJ was quite handsome, his features when they were devoid of cynicism were akin to a masculine beauty, one that many did not seem to have, but beauty was deceiving sometimes. She knew how dangerous EJ DiMera could be when crossed and it was something she needed to remember so as not to get sucked in by his good looks and charm as they proceeded with this deal about the new life they had created with one another in the upcoming months.

Sami wished she had brought some other clothes with her to wear, while the skirt and top she had been wearing this evening were fashionable, all she wanted was to have some comfy clothes on to sleep in and she couldn't go naked, EJ was here in the room with her. While she had no doubt he wouldn't have a problem with nudity because he seemed pretty confident when it came to his body, it would sure bother her.

She sighed thinking in a few months she'd be huge and swollen with pregnancy, why the last time when she was pregnant with Sydney she had been almost as big as she had been when she had carried the twins. It hit her once more that she was going to have another baby. How did she manage to get into these situations?

Then she snuck another glace in EJ's direction and immediately knew the answer. This man could get her into more trouble than all the rest of the men she had known in her lifetime combined. What was is about him that drew her in each time she thought she had gotten away from him?

Evidentially her movements were going to awaken EJ because suddenly she felt his arm tighten around her and he began to mumble something in his sleep and she wasn't one hundred percent sure, but she thought he had uttered her name. Then before she could turn her head away she was face to face with him as his eyes opened and tried to focus on her.

"You are here," was his awe toned voice in sleepy confession, one that she was sure he wouldn't readily admit to if he were wide awake and sure of his surroundings. He smiled slightly and closed his eyes again, immediately kissing her forehead before shifting her even closer to him.

This brought Sami up short, it was almost like EJ wanted to sleep with her, like really sleep in the bed with her beside him instead of having sex with her and not sleeping at all, but her mind was hazy too and she was probably putting too much stock in things at such a late hour at night. She wouldn't have thought EJ would be one who liked to cuddle in sleep; most men never wanted that at all. But then she thought back to the night when Sydney was conceived and EJ had been so loving towards her even when she was playing it off like their lovemaking that night was only something to do to pass the time, having fun with one another instead of admitting EJ had been close that night to touching her soul.

What if Lucas hadn't of shown up that fateful night? Would she and EJ still been married to one another right now? Would all of the ugliness that followed not occurred between them? Would Nicole and Rafe been able to come between them if they would have just had the chance to be alone with one another for a period of time without anyone trying to interfere with their relationship?

She had to admit when he wanted to be EJ was really nice and thoughtful to her. She couldn't imagine Rafe ever being this courteous of her feelings, Brandon most certainly hadn't been able to put up with her scheming ways, Austin had tried to be good to her but he had never gotten over being whipped by her sister Carrie and god forbid she knew Lucas hadn't been willing to sacrifice much of anything when she needed him to do so and then she felt bad. She shouldn't be comparing the other men who had been in her life to EJ DiMera.

Is that because all the rest of them fell short in comparison either in one area or several of them when she thought of EJ?

No. No. No. She was just halfway in between sleep and the waking world and with EJ so close to her it was clouding her judgment. Then she tried to move away from him a tiny bit and when she did it felt like her bra was cutting her in two, like she couldn't get enough air and then she began to panic in earnest.

EJ suddenly felt something or someone pushing against him and it brought him out of his dreams of holding Samantha in his arms. When he opened his eyes he was face to face with what appeared to be a struggling Samantha. When their eyes met, he was instantly worried. What had he done to her in his sleep that made her look so desperate to get away from him?

"Samantha, what's going on? Are you all right?"

"Can't breathe," she managed to get out to him and instantly EJ moved away from her so that he could access what was wrong with her.

"Here let me unbutton your shirt," EJ offered to which Sami's eyes darkened with suspicion. "Samantha, I'm not trying to get you naked, you just look uncomfortable with your shirt buttoned all the way to your neckline like a nun."

Her eyes narrowed even more so he added, "Not to say that your outfit was nun-like, you looked really good in it earlier tonight, and you just need to loosen up a few buttons so that you can breathe. I'm assuming this particular outfit isn't something you would normally sleep in."

He was almost afraid she was going to slug him in the face, but she let him ease open the top few buttons of her blouse and immediately she felt better even though her bra was still digging into her skin. Surely her breasts weren't going to get bigger this quickly into her pregnancy?

"Better now?" EJ asked as he looked into her eyes, hoping this wasn't going to be a setback for them. Surely he hadn't tried to cop of feel of her in his sleep, but his dreams of her may have made him do something inadvertently to cause her alarm.

Sami moved away from him without falling off the bed, but they were still pretty close considering they were in a king size bed. It was like they were sleeping beside each other in a twin size bed instead of the spacious bed they were sharing in this hotel room. She nodded her head as she reached to the opened buttons wishing she could just take off her blouse, the almost too tight skirt and most of all the bra that seemed to have shrunk on her during the night. Then again she didn't normally sleep in a bra either so that might be the problem too.

She might as well be honest with him; EJ looked stricken like he had done something wrong when it was just her stupid clothes not fitting well on her while she slept. "Yes, it's better but…" She stopped before she told him she wanted out of her clothes because he might think it was for other things instead of comfort.

EJ looked at her and then around the room realizing they had both fallen asleep sometime during the night. He looked at his watch and noted the time which was 3 a.m. in the morning. He must have nodded off shortly after she did even though he had thought he would stay up while she had slept. He guessed the past day's events had caught up with him too and he had drifted off to sleep with her.

"I guess we both fell asleep," Sami offered up in way of an explanation.

"Looks like it," EJ concurred. He was silent for a moment and then thought what the hell he might as well ask her because it was too early for them to leave the hotel and Samantha needed her rest. "You need a good night's sleep and you don't look like you are very comfortable in your clothes. I can go look for a robe for you to put on to sleep in or you can take my shirt if you like. I'd really like to get out of this suit and actually get under the covers if that wouldn't bother you too much or if you prefer I can sleep in the chair."

Sami contemplated his offer for a minute; she really would like to get out of these clothes. Could she trust EJ not to try to take advantage of her or did she want him to because at the moment he looked really good with his bed head hair all sticking up and his tie around the collar of his shirt which he had had good enough sense to unbutton a few buttons before he had fallen asleep?

She shyly nodded her head, "I guess I could wear your shirt if you didn't mind."

"Okay," EJ rolled over away from her and got out of the bed as he began to unbutton the rest of his shirt revealing to her in the shadows of the room his well muscled arms and chest. He handed her his shirt from across the bed and made the move to unbutton his trousers before she swiftly turned her head away from watching his actions of removing his pants also.

Even in the dark Sami could make out his well defined abs and she had looked away before she could view him in his boxer briefs because even when he wasn't aroused he was bigger than any man she had ever been with before and she didn't want to think about when he was hard and ready to take her. Damn it why was he built so well? He was the ultimate temptation for her a thousand times personified.

"Don't worry I'll leave my boxers on," EJ stated as he shrugged out of his pants and folded them up to place them on top of the dresser.

Sami shook her head, glad EJ couldn't read her thoughts even though it wouldn't have bothered her all that much for him to be naked, well it was best if he kept them on because if he got into bed naked with her then she might get the crazy thought to jump his bones and she had already told him earlier in the day he wasn't going to touch her anymore now that she was pregnant.

But he looked so good standing there in his boxers and then her mind started wondering off into wanting to touch him.

"Is it all right if I get back into bed with you?"

"Yeah, sure," Sami nodded trying to banish all thoughts of jumping said bones of the man that was pulling back the covers on what apparently would be his side of the bed.

"Are you going to change clothes?" EJ asked innocently enough since she hadn't made a move to remove the clothes that had been so binding upon her.

Once again his voice caught Sami off guard and she hesitated a few seconds before replying.

"I can turn my head if you want some privacy," EJ offered up sensing that she might be less than eager to shed her clothes in front of him considering the circumstances.

She got out of the bed and quickly unbuttoned her skirt, shimmying out of it before she started to unbutton her blouse. She contemplated leaving her bra on but if she truly wanted to be unrestricted then she needed to shed it too. She thought there were worse things than EJ seeing her naked and so she reached behind her back to unhook her bra as well. She was slightly struggling to get the latch unhooked getting frustrated with not getting if off and blurted out, "Not like you haven't seen any of this before."

The chuckle that escaped from EJ after her outburst almost made her laugh; almost but not quite and suddenly she was glad it was dark in the room so that EJ couldn't see her blush over her own frank admission,

EJ moved over to her side of the bed, sat up and reached out to her backside she was presenting to him as she tried again unsuccessfully to get out of her bra. "Let me get that for you."

The ease in which he could unhook a bra must be something he had practiced on several times Sami thought as she felt his hands brush slightly over her back as she was finally free from her constraints of the lacy bra she had been wearing. She could instantly feel the cooler air hit her body where the bra had dug into her skin below her breasts and with the knowledge of having EJ right behind her made her nipples harden into tight pebbles.

She stayed turned away from him, he didn't need to know how his mere presence affected her as much as it did and uttered a word of thanks to him without turning around to look at him. "Since you are over here can you hand me your shirt now since I laid it down on the bed to get out of these clothes?"

He wanted to see her fully, not just the view from behind even though it was pretty spectacular in its own right with Samantha in those lacy panties she was wearing which barely hid anything from his eyes.

"Sweetheart, it's right here behind you on the bed, all you have to do is reach out and get it," EJ offered up with more than a slight hint of innuendo in his voice.

She huffed he was such a smug bastard sometimes. While she greatly appreciated his offer of his shirt to sleep in she sure didn't want to give him the impression that she wanted him in a strictly physical sense before she tried to go back to sleep if she could even go back to sleep after waking up and finding him so close to her minutes earlier.

Well two could play that game she thought as she placed her thumbs on either side of her panties and took them off her body, casually tossing them on the floor as if there were of no consequence, leaving her completely naked as she continued to stand beside the bed, still not turning around to face him yet to pick up his shirt so that she could put it on her body. His sharp intake of breath by her actions was reward enough as a wicked smile formed over her features.

One moment more and she wiped the smile off of her face and replaced it with one of complete ignorance that EJ could even be affected by her nakedness and then she turned to the bed. She casually reached over him her breasts accidentally brushing against him as he continued to sit on the bed after he had helped her take off her bra and took the shirt from where it lay beside him.

"Thanks EJ. You were right; it was close enough for me to get it all by myself." Sami stated impishly as she slipped on his shirt which automatically went past her knees. She took her time buttoning the few buttons she chose to fasten and left the rest hanging open. She pushed him on his shoulder when it was apparent he wasn't going to stop staring at her and asked innocently, "Are you going to move over so that I can get back in bed or am I going to have to crawl over you and sleep on the other side instead?"

Instantly naughty visions of Samantha being above him and riding his body hard until they both came violently in a fit of passion flooded his mind so he decided to call her bluff. "How about you just climb up on me instead of over me, that is if you think you can handle it?"

Oh damn EJ went there, here she had thought she had him stupefied enough by her brief nudity that he wouldn't be able to speak, much less proposition her to another round of sex with him. Her and her big mouth, sometimes she just didn't know when to shut up or stop pushing him because nine times out of ten EJ would take the challenge if it was offered to him.

Then again so did she and she didn't like backing down from a challenge especially when EJ was the man issuing her the challenge. Either she could do what he was suggesting or they'd both go to bed unsatisfied and EJ really knew how to satisfy her on some many different levels that she instantly felt herself get wet from his words to her without him even touching her yet.

"Well when you put it that way…" she began as EJ instantly pulled her to the bed and the rest of her words were cut off when EJ kissed her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note: I wanted to thank each and everyone of you for the reviews you have given me for this story. The comments make my day! As for the request to have some horny action I think this chapter below has a bit of naughty for all of you to enjoy. Hope you all like it and please, please continue to let me know what you think about Whatcha Say. It really spurs my muse!**

**Karen**

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXI**

Sami knew without a doubt that EJ was doing nothing more than playing games with her by his goading her on and then kissing her to the point where she couldn't think clearly. Her failed attempt to stop him from spouting off sexual innuendos by divesting the last of her clothing in front of him before reaching for his proffered shirt made her angry. Why couldn't she ever get the best of him like he seemed to constantly do to her?

So she pulled away from his kiss, sat upwards and shoved him back trying to keep him off balance. He fell back easily instead of resisting her efforts and he began to laugh as she straddled him, one lithe leg on either side of his waist. She grabbed his wrists before he could pull her into another kiss and held both his arms pinned above his head within her own small hands being careful not to let her aching center get too close to what she liked to refer to in her mind as the danger zone.

Damn if this woman didn't intrigue him because he could easily escape her puny attempts to stop his hands from roaming all over her body if he wanted to do so, but he was far more interested to see what she would do with him if she felt like she was in charge of the situation.

"Why do you always feel the need to embarrass me?" she asked as she continued to hold his arms above his head even though she could feel him start to resist her attempts at dominance when she asked him the question.

"I like to see you flustered," EJ offered up in response and tried to slide up some so that he could try to come into contact with her more intimately. It was driving him insane to feel the drops of moisture that had seeped out onto his stomach while she valiantly tried to keep his arms up above his head. "Also hot and bothered belong on that list as well."

Sami tried not to think about how aroused she was by his words, then again he probably could read the phone book to her in that sexy voice of his and she'd want him to take her. EJ DiMera was pure sex on a stick and what a stick he had in his possession.

When she brought herself out of thinking about his generous endowments she realized he was smirking at her while he tried to jostle her a bit to bring her further down on his body and loosen up her tight hold on him. No way was she going to be able to hold him off and stay on top as she felt her position slowly slipping and it would only take a few more half hearted attempts on his part for him to toss her over on the bed to align her with the aforementioned in her mind danger zone.

Which of course he did within the next few seconds as he tucked her underneath his body and placed her arms above her head instead reversing their positions with a simple ease that it made her want to scream at him. Not that it would do any good, but still for once she'd like to be the one in control.

"I'm not afraid of you EJ," she frowned as she tried to keep her legs closed even though she'd have to be an idiot not to feel how big his erection was against her even if he still had on his boxers.

He leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose even though his tone was serious. "Of course you're not afraid of me. Why should you be? You know I'd never willing hurt you,"

Oh why did he have to go all sweet and sincere on her especially when they were barely clothed? She knew firsthand how badly he could hurt her and she grudgingly thought about how she could hurt him as well, noting the faint scar that resided on his hairline from the gunshot wound she had given him months ago.

"EJ lets not be naïve and lie to one another, we've both hurt each other several times over…" She tried to dislodge one of her hands so that she could reach up to trace his scar to prove her point, but he deftly avoided her coming into contact with it, instead he leaned down and whispered into her ear.

"That is in the past; this is the present and now is the start of our future together." He pushed her hair that had fallen into her face by his actions.

"EJ, you know this marriage isn't going to be real," Sami hated bringing it up knowing that it would probably kill whatever mood they had begun a few minutes ago with one another.

"It will be as real as we let it be," EJ stated as he let go of her arms and got off from on top of her, opting to lie beside her instead, turning her to her side as well so that they could face each other. "Look I'm under no illusions of the grandeur of love happening between us this time around. In fact if you must know I empirically do not believe in love anymore at all."

"You love our children?"

"Of course I love our children, let me explain, I do not believe in the fantasy of romantic love between two people."

Sami snorted, "Tell me another one EJ."

"I don't and I've got the battle scars to prove it."

With that comment brought out in the open, it gave Sami pause, why he had been thinking along the same lines as her, well somewhat with the exception of his spouting off this nonsense of not believing in love anymore.

"Let me get this straight, even though you don't believe in love you want to marry me, for me to be your wife…"

"We've married before and love wasn't in the equation, so why should it be now?"

"But you loved me before when we married?"

"And you didn't love me. You made that point perfectly clear during our first go round, this time it will be simpler, my expectations do not include the prospect of love at all. Really I thought you'd be relieved especially since you've claimed to despise me most of the time."

"EJ, it's just that things are complicated between us, they always have been and now that I'm pregnant…"

"Look I'm trying to do the right thing for the sake of this baby, the sake of our other children. They deserve a stable home life for a change, to not bounce back and forth between parents and I want a chance to be a real father to them, one that tucks them in each night, one that is there for them when they need me to be, not living in another place. Don't you think they deserve some stability?"

"Of course I want them to have some stability, but they will know we don't love each other…"

"How? My theory is that we agree to be completely faithful to one another, no extramarital affairs…"

"I have never cheated on any of my husbands," Sami claimed and then had to back track her statement. "Well I hadn't ever until these past few months with you."

"I know of one other time," EJ began to which Sami began to frown wondering what he meant. "You know when we were married the first time and you went over to see your true love Lucas for a quickie while I was in our apartment unable to get up from my wheelchair."

"A wheelchair you were using as a prop since you could walk," Sami fired back wondering how he had known about her and Lucas that one time, then again she should have known he had probably guessed it long ago and was only wanting confirmation of the fact.

"Not at the time, but I eventually got there," EJ countered as though his pretending not to be able to walk at the time was nothing for her to have been upset about at all.

"I didn't know you knew about that, but then we weren't in love…"

"Well one of us wasn't in love, which is why I want a fidelity clause this time," EJ propped up on one hand so that he could look fully into her eyes. "We draw up a pre-nup stating what is expected and what isn't expected of us with this marriage."

"How utterly romantic, a pre-nup," Sami repeated with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Let me guess does this pre-nup contain a clause for sexual favors since we are supposed to be faithful to one another?"

"I thought since we both clearly enjoy sex then what is the harm with us continuing this aspect of our somewhat twisted relationship."

"You got that right, it is twisted," Sami noted with a roll of her eyes.

"Do you really want to be celibate? I honestly do not want to be jacking off just because you might not be willing to participate in other more pleasurable activities with me because let's face it. I know what gets you off and you do a fairly good job of doing the same for me."

Sami cocked one of her eyebrows after he delivered that last line to her.

"Okay you do a fantastic job, but seriously we both have a high sex drive and while it would be enjoyable watching you make yourself cum…"

"Ewww EJ," Sami scrunched up her face in a frown.

"Please don't go all namby pamby on me, everyone masturbates," EJ began only to have Sami put her hands over her ears in retaliation to his statement.

"Stop talking about this," Sami raised her voice while still holding her hands over her ears which made EJ sit up in bed to remove her hands from her ears.

"So much for someone being naïve," EJ kept her hands away from her ears and proceeded to pull her up into his lap. Sami tried to squirm to get away from him, but he wouldn't let her leave his lap and apparently even with all this talk of non love between them he was still pretty horny because she could feel the evidence of it as her bottom was situated with only the thin material of his boxer shorts separating them and he definitely was still aroused.

"Let me go EJ," Sami said through gritted teeth. He really did love to embarrass her, why people never spoke of doing such things, but of course he would be the one to profess to it.

"Come on Samantha, show me how you do it," EJ whispered silkily in her ear. "Show me how you touch yourself when you think you are completely alone."

"I don't," Sami claimed with a shake of her head.

"Liar," EJ countered back to her, refusing to let her go and unbuttoning the few buttons she had buttoned on his shirt she had been wearing causing it to fall open and expose her body completely to his view as he sat her down right in front of him. "I bet you even think about me when you do it."

"I don't," Sami shook her head again as her cheeks flushed a bright red and she closed her eyes, refusing to look at him even though her nipples hardened and she felt a gush of wetness come from her over his suggestive words.

"I think you do, so show me. I want to see you come apart with me sitting right behind you. I won't tell anyone ever. There's no one here with us, just me and you." EJ's breath was hot in her ear as he whispered to her, prompting her to touch herself.

"EJ," Sami began once more in hopes of making him change his mind and get off of this subject. Of course she masturbated, but she had never admitted it to anyone, much less actually performed the act in front of anyone. Why any of her other lovers would have probably been put off if she had even suggested it, much less started doing it in front of them. Sure EJ had seen her touch her clit before while they had sex with one another, but for her to go from start to finish by her own hands without him touching her was another matter entirely.

"Please, I want to see you," EJ pleaded softly in her ear right before he lightly bit down on her earlobe. "You know you want to, I can see how turned on you are by my suggesting it to you."

She shook her head once more in negation, but when EJ kissed her neck in that one spot that drove her absolutely crazy with need she tentatively raised one hand to her breasts lightly brushing both of them causing her nipples to raise up further than they had been.

"That's it," EJ coaxed her on when she took her other hand and her fingers barely touched her clit which caused her to immediately lean back up against EJ's strong chest.

This was wrong she shouldn't be doing this in front of him, but in a way it was also very liberating as well. So after the first tentative touches that were hardly connecting with her body she began with one hand to tweak her nipples as the other hand started to rub her aching clit in earnest. Her breathing became erratic as she continued onward, keeping her eyes closed though because she didn't think she could look at EJ while she was attempting to bring herself to orgasm.

"Are you thinking of me while you are touching yourself?" EJ asked from behind her, his voice whispering all kinds of praise to her then he would kiss her neck momentarily before going back to nip on her ear in between uttering maddening phrases to her. When she wouldn't answer him he pushed his shirt away from her shoulder and bit down on it with a tiny love bite which drove her closer to the brink. "Are you Samantha?"

"Yes," she hissed as she felt the beginning tremors start to form, she was close, and all it would take would be for a few more touches on her clit even if she was started to crave for the man behind her to give her a more intimate touch by joining with her.

"Yes, what?" he asked feeling as if he would cum himself just by watching her. She was incredible; no other woman excited him like she did and now this memory would be seared in his mind forever.

"Yes, EJ I'm thinking of you," she kept her eyes tightly closed as it finally hit her fully and she arched even further against him as she panted, her breath coming in short spurts as she confessed something else to him too. "I always think of you when I do this."

"I knew it," EJ tugged the sleeves of his shirt away from her now slack form after she had finished completely taking it off her. "You my darling are absolutely magnificent. To see you like this, I can't begin to describe what it does to me."

Sami finally opened her eyes and ventured a look in EJ's direction not sure of what she would see in his eyes even if he had praised her continuously for her efforts. When she did she was rewarded with such a smoldering look of admiration that it encouraged her to find her voice. "If you can't describe it maybe you can show me instead. I mean I showed you, so it's your turn. Let me see what you do when you are all alone late at night and you think about me."

EJ gave her a slow smile as the realization dawned on him that she wanted him to return the favor, whether she realized it or not this woman was his soul mate. No doubt about it, she was the one for him and no one else.

"I'm waiting EJ," Sami's voice urged as she turned to face him, prompting him onward. "Off with your boxers now."

EJ's smile grew even bigger among other things as he did as she asked thinking they probably weren't going to get much sleep after all.


	15. Chapter 15

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXII**

Sami quite didn't know what to think after EJ did exactly as she asked of him to shed his boxers. It amazed her that the man who was on the bed with her didn't seem to have any problems with nudity at all.

And why would he? He was beautiful even though he probably wouldn't agree with her on that statement. He was perfectly proportioned, well in one place in particular he was blessed with measurements she was sure were beyond the norm or at least it was from her previous experience.

She shook her head, she shouldn't be thinking of EJ DiMera in terms of being perfect, he was far from it, but all thoughts flew from her head when he looked at her like the way he was doing right now.

And then he took himself in his hand and she was completely mesmerized by him and how his body moved in conjunction with his touches. It was thrilling and deeply personal all at the same time.

She realized EJ was the only person she had truly let see her as she was, all the parts of her, most had only seen the good or what she tried to pass off as good, but not this man. He'd seen her as her worst and her best and pretty much everything else in between too.

Right now she was seeing him in a different light, yes, she knew they were sexually compatible; but she had truly not realized how much until EJ had suggested they take things to another level entirely. Which made her wonder what other things that they bmight tackle so to speak in the bedroom and beyond if she would only let him take her to places she'd never been before with any other man?

While she had stated they weren't ever going to have sex again, watching EJ, hearing his pants of breath as he drew ever closer to release and when he called out her name, well quite frankly it did it for her.

She was going to have to rethink the no sex declaration she had issued to him when she had been mad at him in his office earlier that day.

Not that she'd tell him such because right now he was on the brink of cumming himself and she didn't want to miss a single sexy second of it.

EJ DiMera made her hot and bothered and all kinds of things in between, things she didn't want to contemplate at the moment. Her mind was too jumbled to think clearly especially when his seed shot up in the air around him and on the bed.

Although one thing for sure was she wasn't going to sleep in the wet spot tonight, although by the looks of it now that EJ was coming back to focus solely on her she wasn't sure she could escape his attentions.

Even if she wanted to escape those attentive actions, but then he surprised her yet again when he could actually form coherent sentences again.

"Well now we've seen another side of each other neither one of us has before you need to make a decision about your declaration of no sex between us. Samantha, I won't pressure you to do things you don't want to do, but if you think you can go without it I'm willing to agree to your demands if that is what it is going to take for you to agree to this marriage."

Damn she hadn't been expecting to hear that from EJ, especially not after what they had just witnessed each other doing. No, she expected him to ravage her until she couldn't remember her name, much less anything like brining up the no sex ever between them.

Her and her big mouth had put her in this situation. Her temper flaring up made her spout off things to EJ in the heat of the moment that she sometimes regretted later when she had cooled down.

Prime example this issue right now, because she had thought he'd forgotten all about what she had said to him today and taken her on the spot, which was kind of what she had been hoping for, but damn it EJ apparently remembered every freaking word she had ever uttered out of her mouth to him. Well she pretty much remembered everything he had ever said to her too even though most times she chose not to believe him, especially in the past when he had made declarations of love for her or how she was the woman for him.

Not that she ever wanted him to declare that he loved her again because they didn't love one another. Why EJ had told her earlier he had no expectations of love between them if she decided to marry him this time. He had said he was under no illusions this time and apparently he meant it.

But she'd not give him the satisfaction of him being right even if she wanted him, really wanted him in a bad way.

"Okay, draw up the papers and I'll look over them," she conceded that much to him, better not let him think he had gotten her over a barrel so to speak.

Now the images of him taking her over a couch flooded her mind, causing her to blush again.

"Anything else you want to add?" EJ asked wondering exactly what else was going through her mind at the moment because her visage didn't exactly bring to mind going over a pre-nuptial contract for marriage.

"No, other than I'm going to go take a shower," she managed to get off the bed without stumbling off of it since it was difficult to take her eyes off of EJ, especially a naked EJ, but she was a strong willed woman and she could do it even if it was killing her not to jump his bones.

EJ called out to her when she got to the bathroom door, "Need some help in the shower darling? Perhaps I could scrub your back?"

A slammed door was all the response he got from her and with that he folded his hands behind his head and fell back on the bed smiling. He was going to get her to come around to his way of thinking eventually.

A step at a time…


	16. Chapter 16

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXIII**

That man infuriated her to no end, Sami thought as she viciously scrubbed her skin, wishing she could wash off the feeling of wanting EJ from her body. It was futile, she more she scrubbed the more she thought of him and what she had done in front of him and remembering what he had done in front of her as well.

She spun the hot water tap until it was almost completely off, allowing a cold rush of water run over her body, then her actions made her wonder did EJ ever do the same hoping to rid his body of thoughts of her? Damn him, she had to quit thinking about him and so she completely turned off the last traces of hot, running the cold water upon her until she had chill bumps all over.

She made herself stay under the extremely cold water for a full five minutes until she could take it no longer and then stepped out of the shower, wrapping a fluffy towel around her form and using another one to towel dry her hair which was wringing wet.

It was good to be doing something other than being in the bedroom with EJ, now she could focus on mundane things like drying her hair, which always took a while to do with the blow dryer since her hair was so long. She was still cold though even with the warm air coming from the dryer.

So she hummed a song under her breath and flipped her head over making sure to dry her hair completely. Afterwards deeming she hadn't stayed away from EJ long enough she found the cache of hotel lotion and generously coated her body with it. Liking the clean smell of it along with the smoothness it provided for her.

She took a moment to look in the mirror, her hair wild and wispy falling around her shoulders, and noticed her breasts were already a slight bit bigger than they had been, but that always was the case with her when she was pregnant. Her stomach wasn't yet protruding, although she knew that would come in time. She always hated how she looked when she was pregnant, mainly because her feet would swell and she felt like she was enormous.

Well this would be the last time she was pregnant, five children were a lot, and at least she'd have EJ around to help her with the new baby. Then she stopped herself, she really was going to go through with this marriage, she'd be spending a lot of time with the man who drove her to the point of insanity and beyond many times. Could she handle it?

She looked in the mirror, she was Samantha Gene Brady, she could handle anything that came her way and more, so let EJ think he was getting the best of her, he wasn't even coming close. She debated if she should put back on his shirt or just walk out of the bathroom in the buff. Deciding her confidence level wasn't up to prancing around naked in front of EJ she shrugged her shoulders and put back on his shirt, rolling up the sleeves a tad more so that she wouldn't get tangled up in them later on although he deserved to see her completely naked for revving her up and then doing nothing about abating it.

She'd show him he didn't affect her in the least, so with a smile plastered on her face she raised her head high and left the confines of the bathroom, ready to face EJ again head on if needed.

Well damn it apparently he had fallen asleep while waiting on her to get finished with her shower. Oh hell, he was lying on the bed completely nude himself; she guessed he had grown weary during the time she had taken in the bathroom. She cautiously walked around to what she guessed would be her side of the bed and tried to get into it without waking him.

Did he not even have the decency to cover himself with a sheet? Granted they were in the final few weeks of summer, but it wasn't that hot in here because earlier in the evening she had seen EJ adjust the thermostat to decrease the temperature in the room.

He just made her so mad, she wished she could just punch him in the face and she might do it too if he kept on with him making a joke out of things and of course she really hated it when he was smirking at her. Sometimes though she actually enjoyed being around him, take this moment for instance, he wasn't smirking now, apparently he was really was sleeping.

To remove the distraction of his nakedness she carefully drew up the sheet to cover him because she was only human, if the goods were out there in plain sight she was going to check them out and she knew all too well the cost of what happened when she checked EJ out too much. Apparently she and EJ were both very fertile when they were with each other. He hit it out of the ball park so to speak because she was pretty sure she had gotten pregnant when she had went to confront him at the mansion that first day they had begun whatever it was they were doing with each other.

Or what they had been doing with each other, she was the one who had drawn the line in the sand stating there would be no more sex between them and it still irked her that they had shared something so personal with each other tonight and yet EJ still had the will not to go further with her. He knew what he had been doing; he had put the decision up to her so she couldn't blame him later that he had coerced her into something she did not want to do.

Damn him for knowing her so well. EJ wasn't like other men that she could bend to do her will. No most times she was the one doing the bending or going into different positions with him. Whoa she needed to stop that train of thought. How could she be thinking of sexual positions they could try out when she had put a complete stop on any further sexual activity.

She was screwed; these pregnancy hormones were making her think things she shouldn't be thinking. She needed to think pure thoughts, not sexual ones, but EJ made it so hard for her sometimes.

She shut her eyes, she wasn't going to use the term hard when thinking of EJ because when she did the images of him taking her…

She shook her head and pulled up the sheet a bit higher, almost completely covering his chest as well. Now maybe she wouldn't be thinking of things they had done to each other over the past two months. She had made her mind up and she was going to stay strong.

She moved a little closer and looked at his face since everything else was pretty much covered up by her now. She had to admit EJ had a nice face and perfect hair too. He made having a five o clock shadow of a beard sexy. He even had beautiful eyelashes, ones that she knew Johnny had inherited from him and it made her wonder what their new baby would look like when he or she arrived into the world.

Yes, she finally decided the best time to be around EJ was when he was sleeping. She hadn't had much experience of being around the man when his guard was completely down, something he apparently never did now in her presence anyway. She guessed the closest he had come to being that way with her was the night Sydney was conceived before Lucas had shown up and everything had went to hell for them once again.

Not that she could blame him, she had done many terrible things to him, but in all fairness he had done awful things to her too. She guessed during his slumber he couldn't be calculating his next move on how to one up her which she knew he did too many times for her liking.

Before she even thought better of it, she leaned over and placed a kiss on his forehead, kind of like he used to do to her when things were difficult for her and she realized why he must like doing it to her. It was nice and for a second she felt peaceful. She then took one hand and softly brushed up against his scar knowing he wouldn't let her do that when he was awake and she felt the instant regret fill her for causing him such pain and sorrow. She leaned over once more to place a kiss on the scar and then decided not to tempt fate anymore, it was a wonder he hadn't woke already and she knew she couldn't explain to him what she was doing when she really didn't know herself.

She moved back away from him and turned off the lamp on the night stand. She settled into the bed making sure she wasn't touching him and grabbed a pillow to curl up against instead of him. No need to give him any reason to know she had been close enough to examine his features while he slept.

Before she fell asleep it hit her, while she had been hoping EJ DiMera did not think he had this situation under control, after looking at him and kissing him while he was sleeping she was afraid she didn't either,

And if that was the case, then she really was screwed in more ways than one.


	17. Chapter 17

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXIV**

He really didn't know how he did it, but he had kept up the charade of being asleep when he heard Sami opening up the bathroom door to come back into the bedroom they were sharing for the night at the hotel. He could honestly say he now had the steady breathing technique almost down to an exact science.

He hadn't put his boxers back on just to tease Samantha; he knew it would get a rise out of her although he thought she would have thrown a fit, yelled at him to get some clothes on, do anything other than what she did to him. While he couldn't see her facial expressions he had felt her drag the sheet to cover him up and then she drew the covers up further.

It had been so tempting to open up his eyes while she had been looking at him, say a silly boo or something else inane to scare her, but he hadn't taken the opportunity when it arose. Something inside had stopped him when thought she had to have been looking at him because she was so quiet and he hadn't felt her body shift down on the bed that would signal to him she was going to sleep yet.

He had wanted to know what was going on in that devious mind of hers so he was still even when he all he had wanted to do was pull her down next to him and kiss her senseless. She always had that effect on him even when he had tried his best to deny it. Although his denial skills couldn't hold a candle to Samantha's, she was the reigning master in that specific category and he'd been the one to suffer for it over these past few years.

But what had wrecked him were her innocent kisses, first the one to the forehead he'd softly felt and then when she had kissed the scar on the side of his head he had been afraid he was going to lose it and actually start crying. How in the world would he have been able to explain it to her if that had happened? Especially when he had no clear cut answers himself over how her simple act of kindness could have unmanned him to the point where he wished he hadn't ever pretended he had been asleep in the first place.

He finally felt the bed shift and still he didn't move for at least another fifteen minutes. He finally cracked his eyes open enough to confirm Samantha had apparently decided to go to sleep after her perusal of him. He could hear her even breathing, well very slight snoring if the truth be told, and deduced she had finally needed to get some rest.

Which is what she should be doing was getting plenty of rest because she was pregnant and needed to take care of herself. He would treat her like a queen because she deserved to be pampered and cherished although he bet she wouldn't believe a single word of it if he told her, no she would probably give him the evil eye like she was wont to do most times. Samantha usually didn't bestow him the benefit of the doubt when it came to him and his motives.

Not that she had much reason to believe much of anything he said or did or vice versa, they'd played so many games with one another that it was difficult for either one of them to believe the other might actually be sincere. Sincerity for them was basically foreign concepts, ones they would have to relearn if they wanted this relationship to work.

Then he shook his head, Samantha would be the first to tell him they didn't have a relationship with one another. They'd hooked up and her pregnancy was a result of them being careless, not a sign they were meant to be together. He knew he was hoping for things that probably weren't going to come to fruition, but damn it he wanted her with him each day and night. He wanted the simple pleasure of falling asleep each night and waking up with her face being the first thing he saw each morning.

Why he ever told her love wouldn't be a part of the equation was ridiculous. Of course he loved her, he'd never stopped loving her from the time he realized she was the one for him. He only wished she felt the same way, but he knew better. So he'd keep playing it like he was only invested in this situation they had found themselves for the sake of their children even if he wanted more from her, he didn't think she was capable of giving it to him and he needed to be realistic. True love for him apparently wasn't in the cards so he'd accept the deal he was handed and try to go from there to make it work without scaring her away.

But while she was sleeping he was going to pretend for a moment that it was real, that they were sharing a bed together because they wanted to do so, not out of necessity. He removed the portion of the sheet she had used to cover him up to scoot over closer to her, moving very slowly though as not to wake her. He got right up next to her, placed one arm around her middle and kissed the top of her head, noting how good she smelled before he gave a wry smile and whispered goodnight to her.

Tomorrow he could go back to being a man she would more than likely despise give or take a few degrees depending upon her mood which he doubted would be sweet. Samantha and a sweet disposition were things he didn't even think went together, add in her pregnancy mood swings and he was likely to be in for a hell of a ride with her.

Sad thing was he'd rather be on a rather bumpy ride with her than smooth sailing with anyone else. In his mind no one compared to his Samantha, they didn't even come close. Which really had him in a precarious spot, how to play it cool like he didn't care about her beyond their ever growing ties at parenthood. It would be difficult, but he could and would do it.

After all he was EJ DiMera and he could hang with the best of them, especially Samantha Gene Brady. This woman was not going to tear him down this time and leave him in a tangled mess. She'd done it to him more than once before, but he'd do things differently this time around. He'd keep it light with her, no declarations of unrequited love for her to spout from his mouth. That way of thinking would keep him from being heartbroken again by her.

If and when a mention of love came about, which he highly doubted, it would be from her first so unless a miracle happened he wouldn't have to worry about it at all. But that was something for him to worry about tomorrow, tonight he was going to hold her in his arms and dream of what kind of life they could have if they truly were in love with one another.


	18. Chapter 18

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXV**

Sami awoke feeling refreshed from her slumber. After she had finally fell asleep last night she must have been dead to the world because judging from the daylight streaming into the room from the slight part of the curtains, it had to at least be midmorning. She was snuggled up against something very warm and apparently very hard too.

Then she stiffened slightly as she looked down at her waist, she was wrapped up next to EJ with one of his arms encircling her. She cautiously moved her head and there he was right behind her, his sleeping face mere inches away from hers.

How could he look so handsome in the mornings? It was enough to weaken her resolve to give in, roll over onto what apparently was an impressive morning hard on he was sporting that she could clearly feel since his shirt she was currently wearing had rode up on her while she slept last night, and make love to him.

No not make love she quickly reminded herself, hot wanton sex for sure, but not making love. She was under no false pretenses of what was going on between them. She was pregnant and EJ wanted her to marry him since he was the father of this new life growing inside her. EJ wanted to be in control of the situation this time around and it was going to be difficult for her to relinquish control. How could they be so much alike sometimes and yet so different in their approaches to life?

Well before she made a mistake of going with the portion of her that wanted a purely sexual release that she didn't get last night from him by his denying to have sex with her she would get up from this bed because EJ was definitely too close for comfort. Right now that new life they had created was also kind of urging her to get up and go to the bathroom, she really needed to go pee, but even so it was nice to wake up beside EJ when he was sleeping.

Not that she was going to get used to it. They were going to have separate bedrooms, this was going to be a condition of her agreeing to this faux engagement especially since she was still technically married to Rafe even though she hadn't honestly felt married to him at all. Really when you only married someone to hurt someone else who had in turn hurt you it kind of backfired on you when you got to the point where you realized what you had done in anger was hurting you as much as the intended hurt for them.

Yes, anger against EJ she knew well, kind feelings were the rarity and last night while he had slept she had felt like she could get away with it. Plus he didn't know it, hadn't even stirred but he must have awoke sometime during the night to cuddle up next to her.

Now the quest to maneuver her out of his arms without waking him was something that would require a few moments of contemplation on her part. She rested her head back on the pillow and tried to move his arm, but that only caused him to tighten it against her all the more.

She then attempted to wriggle out from his embrace which resulted in her coming into even closer contact with the part of him that seemed to be wide awake and the movement seemed to increase the size of it more than before.

"Damn it," she whispered under her breath because she knew exactly what kind of pleasure he could give her if she only asked him to do so and she knew EJ he would make her ask him.

She relaxed her body and tried to shift up some which didn't help either. She was going to have to wake him up if she was going to get out of bed without having an accident and wetting on herself. Her bladder felt like it was going to explode any minute now and she'd never live down her embarrassment if that happened to her.

"EJ, I need to get up," Sami said in a voice that wasn't a shout, but louder than the voice she normally used when she usually spoke to him if they weren't arguing with one another.

"Hmmm, Samantha? Few more minutes; sweetheart," EJ replied sleepily, not opening up his eyes and he moved in even closer to her, his breath hot on her neck which made her all kinds of tingly that she didn't need to be feeling.

Well at least he knew who he was in bed with and oh it didn't help any when he called her sweetheart in the nice way he used to say it to her, not the nasty way he had used lately with the likes of Sunshine etc… when he was being snarky to her. Not that she wasn't snarky with him, but still that was beside the point.

"EJ, I really need to get up," Sami used her shoulder to nudge him, hoping that might rouse him.

"Like it right here with you," he mumbled. "Want to stay in bed with you…"

"Honey, if I don't get up in a minute you are going to hate what happens next," Sami said a few decibels louder and this time she jabbed her elbow into his side hoping that would dislodge her from his embrace.

EJ's eyes opened as he felt a sharp poke in his side, but what really got his attention was that he was fairly certain Samantha had called him honey instead of the bad names she usually called him. He saw her then as she was trying to move his arm off of her. "Sorry Samantha, I was asleep."

"No kidding," she retorted as she pushed his arm away and was finally able to get out of bed and hurriedly made her way to the bathroom, promptly shutting the door behind her so that he couldn't see what she was doing.

EJ sat up in the bed ran his hands over his face and tried to wake up more fully. He deduced it had to be later in the day than he had planned to get up, but he had been so comfortable sleeping beside Samantha. Guess she hadn't been as she had to resort to hitting on him to get him to move.

Then he realized her haste of course she was pregnant and her body was going through all kinds of changes that he had no clue about, but this time he would try his best to know and be supportive of her. He would read the baby books to help make things easier for her, he'd just do it in private where she wouldn't know and make fun of him.

He was excited about the baby yet this was another prime example of not letting his emotions show too terribly much. He had to keep it like he had decided last night, not too eager to please or she'd just turn it against him.

Like with a knife or a bullet, his mind resounded as he tried to block out those kinds of thoughts. He guessed his sense of self preservation still had some degree of trying to make his see reason where this woman was concerned.

But it was hard to listen to those types of thoughts when she opened the bathroom door and the only thing he could think of was how beautiful she was and how easy it would be to get used to seeing her like this in the morning.

"What?" Sami asked as EJ was eyeing her upon her entrance back into the hotel room. Granted she felt tons better after relieving herself and splashing some water on her face, but still she knew she looked terrible in the mornings.

"Nothing," EJ wrapped the sheet around the lower portion of his body and went in search of his boxers, he didn't need to try to embarrass her by his nudity like he had thought would be such a great idea last night. They had a lot to do today like finding somewhere to live since she had been adamant over not living in the DiMera Mansion.

"Okay," Sami pulled the ends of EJ's shirt closer to her form as she stooped down to find her discarded clothes.

"How about I order us some brunch since apparently we slept through most of the morning," EJ suggested after he found his watch on the night side table and saw it was quickly approaching the noon hour. He hadn't slept this late in ages.

"What time is it?" Sami asked as she gathered up all of her clothing that had been scattered around the room.

"Almost noon," EJ answered as Sami's face scrunched up.

"Damn it, I should have picked up the kids hours ago. Grandma will really give me an inquisition over why I am so late," She hastily began to unbutton EJ's shirt not even realizing she was undressing in front of him.

EJ momentarily was distracted by her slinging off his shirt as she struggled to get her bra on still cursing under her breath as her fingers failed to get it clasped.

EJ pulled his boxers on and went over to her, turning her around, "Here let me help."

Sami shrugged her shoulders, rebuffing his offer as she mumbled, "I don't need your help."

"Quit being so stubborn for a minute and let me help you," EJ firmly grasped her shoulders stilling her and he had her bra clasped within a few seconds.

"Thank you," Sami said grudgingly as she moved away from him and slipped into her shirt and skirt, opting not to put on her high heels until the last minute even though it made her significantly shorter than EJ when she wasn't wearing them.

"You're welcome," EJ turned to put on his clothes as well, putting on his pants and stopping momentarily when he felt the lingering warmth from Samantha's body from where she had worn his shirt to bed the night before. He looked a wrinkled mess, but for once he didn't even care.

"We don't have time to eat," Sami stated as she located her shoes and was sitting down on the bed to slip them on as well.

EJ stopped her from putting on her shoes, kneeling down in front of her and looking up into her eyes, "Yes, we do. You can't be skipping meals Samantha."

Sami rolled her eyes at him, wanting to say a wisecrack to him, but she knew he was right, if she was going to take care of herself this pregnancy, which meant no skipping meals, following doctor's orders, getting rest.

Well she guessed she had gotten the rest part in because she did feel good in that aspect even if her stomach was beginning to growl.

"I can hear your stomach," EJ noted with a smirk on his face as he stood up, thus towering over her while she sat on the bed.

Sami reached back and took a pillow and took a swipe at his form, not being to help herself because she didn't want to admit to EJ that he was right, "Shut up and order us some food."

"Yes Princess," EJ replied easily moving out of the way before she could hit him with the pillow, which earned him another scowl from her, but he didn't mind. He was making a little headway in making her see reason although he knew a small victory for him would result in her putting up further resistance to his ideas of where there they would live. He suspected it would be a long day, but they'd go pick up the kids and they could go with them. He wanted their input on what kind of place they picked out.

"I'm not a princess," Sami stated matter of fact.

"You're absolutely right, my girls Sydney and Allie are the princesses," he tapped her on her nose before turning around to find the menu he had used the night before when he had ordered a late supper for them.

His words made her pause, EJ never made a difference between any of her children, especially when it concerned Allie. Lucas always made a clear distinction Allie and Will were his children even if he took Johnny with him to go somewhere with Allie.

EJ turned back to face her, "What do you want darling? I don't know what foods make you queasy and you need to eat something substantial before we leave and start our day or rather what will be our afternoon."

"I think I could handle some oatmeal and fruit, but you order whatever you want for yourself," Sami encouraged EJ.

"That's sounds great, plus I don't want the smells of bacon or eggs making you feel like it will drive you out of the room," EJ picked up the phone to make the order for them along with directions to charge him another day for the room since it would be at least another or so before they would be ready to leave and they had missed check out time.

He was so thoughtful of her and it made Sami feel bad realizing how considerate EJ could be when he wanted to be with her. Add on how it warmed her heart that he showered as much love and attention on Allie as he did his own daughter and she thought it was going to be extremely difficult to keep herself immune to his charms this time around.

But she had to stay on guard because if she didn't that was when EJ crept up when she least expected it and he would steal her heart and then he'd break it by doing something incredibly stupid like how he had kidnapped Sydney and shattering her belief in him once more. She knew exactly what all of this was, EJ's grand attempt of trying to make things right because of him feeling guilty because she was pregnant.

Feeling guilty did not equate to love and she needed to remember that fact. She wasn't going to fall in love with EJ anymore than he was going to fall in love with her. They were making the best of a bad situation, nothing more, and nothing less.


	19. Chapter 19

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXVI**

When they were finished eating what could be considered brunch since it was so late with the morning, it was time to go. Since it had been an impromptu overnight stay at least they didn't have much to take with them to leave the room. Sami was more than glad to take EJ's keys to his car and go outside to the parking deck instead of standing there with him while he checked out of the room. She didn't want anyone looking at them like they had rented the room just to have a night of wild sex with one another.

Which totally hadn't happened between them. While they had engaged in some rather risqué behavior by pleasuring themselves per EJ's request and then hers as well, it had been EJ who had halted things from going further. That fact shouldn't bother her, she should have been the one to say no way to more sex last night instead of EJ and she had stated as such earlier in the day to him. But sometimes her mouth spouted out the things she was thinking which might be best to be given more thought before she decreed something to be. She was starting to see she needed to look at the entire picture whenever it concerned this man.

So when they married one another, it would be in name only, to give this baby legitimacy and that was a good thing, she could even see the validity of EJ's argument for them to be married this time around. Although she knew it was all going to hit the fan when she told her family. They probably would all disown her since once again they would believe she had gone to the DiMera dark side.

She heard her cell phone ring and leant against EJ's car while she dug around in her pocketbook to find it with no success before whoever had tried to call her had been sent to her voicemail. When she finally located her errant phone she looked at her screen and frowned. The caller id stated it was her father.

She was in the process of retrieving the message presumably left by Roman when EJ found her leaning against his car. In most cases if he ever saw anyone doing such a thing to any of his vehicles he would be annoyed, yet Samantha could do almost anything and he'd give her a pass. He wondered why she had such power over him, then decided that theory would need to be considered on another day when he saw her face.

She was biting at her lower lip and he could plainly see the worry in her eyes even though he was still a few feet away from her as he crossed the parking deck to reach her. He hated how protective he immediately felt over her especially when he doesn't even know what is going on. Although it must have been some voicemail for her to look this way.

He reached out to touch her shoulder, "Something going on Samantha? Are the children all right?"

She nodded her head, "The kids are fine, but my family wants me to meet with them at the Brady Pub as soon as possible."

"Who called you?"

"My father and he sounded rather pissed at the moment. Apparently Rafe went to the Pub this morning and cried over how upset he was about me leaving him and wanting a divorce."

"Damn him," EJ hissed. "I knew he was upset last night over the news, but still to go to your family this morning. What kind of man is he? Doesn't he have any pride at all? "

"Apparently Rafe's a heartbroken one at the moment and my father demanded I get over there pronto to explain myself."

"Unfuckingbelievable! I'm going with you, no way are you facing the Brady firing squad without me."

"EJ, you are the last person they want to see accompanying me anywhere especially since Daddy's message also contained something along the lines about those damn DiMera's."

"Listen they only know Rafe's side of things, so we have to go in there as a united front and let them know how things are going to be between us."

"What that we're only marrying each other because I'm pregnant?"

"Don't make it sound like that. We're doing this for our children, our family we've created and the little one that's on the way. This isn't a burden for me to marry you."

Sami looked at EJ warily, "Come on EJ, get real. You can sugarcoat it all you want, but the bottom line is that you strongly suggested we get married as soon as my divorce from Rafe is finalized."

"I can't let this go, Samantha," he said softly, and she met his eyes and there wasn't a hint of a threat in them for her, but something else entirely that she couldn't quite place. "I just can't, not this time around."

"I know."

"I won't tell them you are pregnant because it isn't any of their damn business what we've done. I know that's what you're worried about how they are going to condemn you once more for choosing me even if you haven't really done any choosing per se."

Good thing he hadn't slipped up and said he couldn't give her up and let her go instead of what he had told her. She didn't answer, but she outwardly cringed over his words and that was enough of an admission for him to know what he was saying was true. She didn't care for him, not like he cared for her and he'd be damned if he would admit that it was killing him for her not to feel something for him, anything especially since she was carrying his baby inside of her body. "But if I keep my silence about the pregnancy. I need something from you in return."

"What do you want this time EJ? I should know that your silence would come with a price. Everything with you comes with a price."

"I need for you to swear to me that you won't pretend nothing has happened between us, because it has and you can't wish this all away. You can't snap your fingers and undo what is already done."

"Like I could pretend that and it come true," she stated darkly as she placed a hand on her abdomen in a protective gesture. "But you know whatever this crazy thing is between us doesn't change anything. You don't love me and I don't love you. We just got swept away by our attraction to one another and now we have to deal with the fallout from us being so careless."

He couldn't believe he was saying it, but the hopeful words came out before he had sense enough to stop himself from saying them to her. "Maybe it won't change things today, although given time who knows what could come to be Samantha?"

"I don't know, EJ. Somehow it doesn't seem possible."

His heart felt like it was breaking for her all over again, a weight dropping deep down inside him, pulling him into that familiar feeling of despair when it came to her, but then she touched him gently on his face and somehow he managed to look her in the eyes.

"Maybe if things were different," she began speaking only to falter when he tried to pull her closer to him.

"Where is that girl who once told me anything could be possible? I can distinctly recall you saying those exact words to me as clear as day Samantha."

The she surprised him with her solemn response to his question. "Maybe someday she'll come back. I think I lost her somewhere along the way with all the fighting, the lies and terrible ugliness that grew with each misunderstanding we had with one another. I know you say you are on my side with this, but it's hard to trust you and to be perfectly honest for me to trust myself around you. The best I can give you right now is maybe someday."

She thought EJ was about to kiss her lips after her admission but he kissed her forehead instead and then put some distance between them. "Maybe someday the man you trusted as your friend might find his way back home too."

Sami felt tears pool in her eyes and quickly got up on her tiptoes to give him a chaste kiss on his cheek and then stepped back to place her hand on his heart, "If that ever happens then anything is possible. So EJ DiMera, are you ready to go face the Brady firing squad."

EJ gave her a sad smile as he turned to open the car door for her after he took his keys back from her, "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's go trouble."

Sami got into the car thinking for once she was grateful EJ would be with her; somehow they could get through whatever was going to be waiting for them at the pub. Together.


	20. Chapter 20

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXVII**

Sami could feel her stomach churning on the drive to the Brady Pub. While she had been thankful nothing was wrong with the children, she didn't want to have to face her family today either. If her father's voice mail was any indication of the welcome she was going to get when she saw them it wasn't going to be joyous time for her at all.

EJ didn't like the look on Samantha's face, she looked worried and pensive and she was quiet, too quiet. She shouldn't have to worry about anything, especially her family, but he knew this wasn't going to be a happy occasion for her to see the Brady clan.

So he did the only thing he knew to do to reassure her he was with her, he reached out with his right hand and placed it over hers, giving it a slight squeeze before he returned his hand back to the steering wheel of his car. It wasn't a huge gesture, but it was something, one he hoped was another tiny step in the right direction for them.

He thought back to two months ago when Samantha had come to the mansion with her Brady posse to tell him what a terrible person he was and how he had ordered them to all get the fuck out of his house. He recalled how she had stormed back into to tell him off, she was so magnificent and full of life. While he would never had admitted it that day or in the days afterward he had been thrilled the woman he knew existed deep down had been slowly coming back.

He dreaded this confrontation that he knew was coming, her family would do their best to tear her down, to insist she needed to do the right thing. Funny thing was she was doing what was going to be best for them although he doubted they would ever see it that way.

Finally they arrived; EJ switched off the ignition and waited for her to give him a cue since she wasn't making a move to get out of his car. She just sat there, still quiet.

"You know it's going to be okay," EJ took her hand again and this time she turned her face to look at him.

"EJ, they are going to say ugly things about you," Sami sighed, only imaging what they would come up with to try to dissuade her. What they would try to bargain to make her stay away from him.

"They can't hurt me because I've learned long ago that no matter what I say or do it won't be good enough for them. I'm a DiMera and thus I need to be hated by them, but its okay. I don't need for them to care about me," EJ stated firmly wishing he could add it would never matter if they hated him for eternity as long as Samantha cared for him, but this wasn't the time of place to tell her and it might never be.

Sami looked down at their joined hands, knowing she'd have to let go of his hand when they entered the pub. It wouldn't do to add more fuel to the fire she was sure Rafe had already started up by going to them this morning. Just taking EJ with her was going to cause a stir among them, but he had told her he wasn't leaving her alone.

Maybe he was afraid she'd turn her back on him again like she'd done so many times before, but she wasn't going to do that to him. Not this time especially when he was so determined to go and be by her side.

She gently removed her hand from his, "I wish I could be more like you and not care what they think of me."

"You are like me, that's the problem," EJ decided if they didn't get out of the car he was going to admit things to her that would only add to her problems and he wanted to help her, not guilt her into being grateful he chose to stand with her instead of against her. He got out and went over to her side, opening the door for her.

They reached the front door of the pub and EJ opened the door for her there as well. She walked in with him right behind her and then he went to stand beside her when she stopped after only entering in a few feet into the establishment.

EJ looked around the room, no wonder she didn't want to venture in any further than the few steps she had taken. Evidentially Roman had called out the big guns for this meeting, Marlena was here with John at her side, Bo and Hope, Carrie and Austin, Kayla and of course poor Rafe who looked like he had been on a crying jag given his appearance.

Well this was going to be awkward, but he just stood there and gave his best I don't give a damn smile he used especially for Roman and flashed it for all of them to see too.

"Why did you bring him here?" Roman asked right off the bat, no hello for his daughter at all.

"He was with her last night too," Rafe sniffled as he took another sip of his beer and then wiped his nose on his plaid shirt sleeve.

EJ refrained from rolling his eyes, what he wouldn't do to give that useless wanker a beating.

"Sami aren't you going to answer me?"

Sami didn't even respond to his question, instead gave everyone a greeting, "Good afternoon everyone. Why are you all here?"

Bo was the first to pipe up, "We've come to talk some sense into you. Rafe told your dad what kind of idiotic scheme you had going with DiMera this time."

Sami cocked her head at her uncle, "Idiotic scheme? That's just nonsense Uncle Bo. All I did was ask Rafe for a divorce, no scheme involved at all."

"The nonsense is you hanging around that piece of scum DiMera," Roman began only to have Sami cut him off before he could continue his tirade.

"EJ is the father of my children," Sami reminded her father rather pointedly. "While you may not like EJ my children do not need for you to disparage him. They love their father very much. Speaking of which where are our children?"

Marlena answered, "Caroline has them upstairs because they didn't need to hear any of this discussion."

"Thanks Mom, at least you took that into consideration," Sami replied tightly.

"EJ has something on her," Rafe offered up. "No way would Sami be defending him if he wasn't blackmailing her. She wouldn't want to divorce me without some good reason."

"Rafe, I told you last night the reason why I wanted a divorce and I thought you understood," Sami said trying not to get her temper up, it wouldn't do the baby any good and they were never going to see why she wanted to dissolve her marriage to Rafe. To them Rafe was the good guy and EJ was the bad guy. Case closed.

"What is EJ blackmailing you with Sami? Just tell us and then we'll throw him out of here on his ass," Bo stated smugly as he went to stand beside Roman.

Sami turned to Hope, "Aunt Hope you were the one to tell me not to throw stones at glass houses. Why are you all here?"

Hope at least had the decency to look embarrassed by this ambush of Sami even if the rest of them didn't, she looked down at the floor though and didn't offer up anything to the current conversation.

"What in the hell does that have to do with anything? Glass houses? We're here to keep you from making the biggest mistake of your life." Roman blustered at Sami as he took a step toward her.

"You all stand there in judgment of me, thinking I've wronged Rafe when I've done him a favor instead. I don't want to bring up what we discussed."

Carrie piped in, "We've already heard how you've broken his heart. Sami you should be ashamed of yourself. Rafe is such a wonderful man and you stand there with EJ when you know how badly he has treated you in the past."

"What do I have to be ashamed of? I'm trying to do the right thing by letting Rafe go to find someone who will truly make him happy. As for EJ, the only reason you don't like him is that he never gave you the time of day and followed you around like some lost puppy dog like Austin does and any other man you shag, oh sorry I meant snag. Now that you and Rafe are working together it will only be a matter of time before you have him under your spell. Better watch out Austin, you know Carrie doesn't take her wedding vows very seriously."

"You little bitch," Carrie started toward Sami as if she were going to strike her and EJ stepped in front of Sami.

"Don't you dare call the mother of my children that name," EJ warned in a sharp voice making Carrie take a step back away from her half sister.

"You need to leave EJ, your presence is not welcome here," John began only to have Sami snort with laughter.

"Seriously John, you were so much more fun when you were addled. Why are you here? If the DiMera's aren't welcome then you need to go too. You're EJ's uncle or have you forgotten that pertinent fact?"

"Sami do not talk to John in that tone of voice! I am so thankful John is back to his normal self and you should be too." Marlena claimed with self righteousness.

"Or what Mother? You'll tell me what a bad daughter I am? Go ahead I know you're dying to tell me how disappointed you are in me as a daughter. Well guess what you've disappointed me my entire life. You side with Carrie who isn't even your daughter over me all the time. If anyone could understand what I'm doing it should be you since you followed your heart to bed John and wrecked our entire family. I'm just taking a page from your book. It was to hell with everyone else as long as you were happy."

"Sami you are being disrespectful to your mother!" Roman shouted.

"And you are all being disrespectful to EJ and myself," Sami began and took EJ's hand to spite them all. "Now if you don't mind we are going to go get our children and leave."

"We're not finished talking to you," Roman began until Sami's next words had them all fall silent.

"Yes, you are because I've got some news for you all. As soon as my divorce from Rafe is final, I'm marrying EJ and I don't give a damn if anyone of you approve. I tried to speak to Rafe last night in private and I told him I only married him to hurt EJ and it wasn't right for us to continue our marriage because neither one of us were happy. Rafe shouldn't have come here today, but he did and before you all condemn me just know if you want to turn your backs on me go ahead. EJ and our children will be just fine without you in our lives."

She pulled EJ in the direction of upstairs and they were turning to go up them when Roman pulled on her arm. "Sami don't make another huge mistake by picking EJ. He isn't worth it."

Sami just shook her head, "Yes he is Daddy. Oh and by the way, congratulations you're going to be a grandfather again. I'm pregnant and EJ is the daddy, apparently all Rafe can do is shoot blanks. Not that I've slept with him in months, but still."

Roman instantly backed away from her as if she were the devil herself.

"I'll be sure to buy some Cuban cigars to pass out when the baby is born," EJ added with a smile to Roman as he continued to step backwards away from them both. "Are you ready to go get the children darling?"

"More than ready," Sami smiled at him as they heard the bickering began in the room. They walked upstairs to see her grandmother and thank her for looking after the children for them.

"Grandma, I've got something to tell you," Sami began only to have Caroline shoo her away.

"Honey, they don't call in the Calvary unless they are upset about something," Caroline said with a knowing smile as she looked at her granddaughter standing there with EJ.

"They are upset about me," EJ started to explain only to have Sami shake her head.

"Grandma, they are mad at me for asking Rafe for a divorce and they accused EJ of blackmailing me, but he hasn't. I chose to go to him all on my own." Sami said hoping her grandmother wasn't about to turn her back on her too.

"The heart wants what the heart wants," Caroline said as she patted EJ's arm and before they could say anything else to her to negate her statement the children were there running up to hug them both.

"Mommy, what is Daddy doing here?" Johnny asked after he had given his mother an extra big hug.

"How about we talk about it in the car and me and your mum will explain everything then?" EJ asked as they all agreed, taking their overnight bags with them.

EJ led the way, then Johnny, Allie and Sydney following him with Sami bringing up the rear. All of them being excited to be going somewhere with EJ that they didn't even notice Rafe was drinking at the bar with Sami's family surrounding him, well all of them with the exception of Hope who seemed to be standing off slightly away from the group.

Hope raised a hand to wave bye to them and they left before any of them could begin fussing with them since they had the children with them. Once outside the kids ran ahead seeing who could be the first to get to EJ's car.

EJ looked over at Sami, her face crestfallen after this latest encounter with her family. All the bravado she had used in front of them seeming to have evaporated as soon as they left the pub.

EJ's heart ached for her. He hated how they could tear her down with just a few chosen phrases if she didn't do exactly what they thought was right. Samantha wasn't like the rest of her family and he was thankful she was her own person.

He reached out for her hand uncertain if she would take it, but surprisingly she did, lacing her hand within his larger one.

EJ quietly said, "Damnant quod non intellegunt."

Sami gave him a look, "What did you say?"

"It's Latin," EJ stated. "It means they condemn what they do not understand."

For the first time all day Sami gave him a real smile, one like she used to give him long ago when they were friends. It was funny how EJ understood her implicitly when the rest of her family was totally in the dark about her.

Then again hadn't it been that way with him from the day they had met? Sami tried to push the unwanted thought away, she couldn't think about it. She'd think about it later. Right now she had to concentrate on her children and that was their priority, she needed to remember the real reason they were getting married, it was for their children. Nothing else mattered except them. No use trying to make it be more than is was, she was sure EJ would agree with her.

Wasn't that what EJ had said he had wanted? They would provide a stable home life for their children. She only hoped they could make it work. Their children deserved to be happy and she was determined to make it work. No matter what it took…


	21. Chapter 21

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXVIII**

It had taken the entire rest of the day searching for a place to live, but with EJ's contacts and having DiMera as a last name helped immensely in their search. While Sami didn't particularly care for the female realtor EJ had called to assist them in their search, she wasn't going to let him know that at all.

But it didn't help when she caught the woman giving EJ the once over more than once during the day, in fact it was several times. Not that she was jealous or anything, it wasn't like she and EJ were a couple, couple, because they weren't even if she was going to have another baby by him.

Which was in itself crazy, but somehow craziness found them both when they were around each other. She didn't know how it came about; it was just some kind of wacky cosmic kismet.

So after countless and tiring hours it finally appeared they might actually agree upon a house, it wasn't huge, but enough room for them all, the only downside Sami could see was she'd have to share a bedroom with EJ to allow the kids to have their own rooms. Plus EJ had reminded her today during their house hunting adventure as he liked to put it that had been a stipulation they would share a bedroom.

The kids were rambling around the house, being kind of loud, but it didn't bother either Sami or EJ since they were still discussing the bedroom situation after Celine had politely told them she would let them look around the house while she took care of some business calls.

Personally Sami was glad that overbearing and more than slightly annoying woman was giving them a few minutes reprieve. She rolled her eyes as soon as Celine had left the room, allowing EJ and Sami both a few minutes alone.

"Why are you rolling your eyes?" EJ asked as he looked around the room that if they chose to buy this house would be their bedroom. Celine had made a great production of pointing all the amenities, spacious room with a huge walk in closet, and the adjoining bathroom was nothing short of luxurious. Sami had a weakness for a big bathtub and it had been something she had missed after she had left the DiMera mansion way back when, she may despise Stefano, but the man had known how to furnish a house properly.

"Oh my god, if I heard one more remark about how marvelous this house would be for you I was ready to hurl all over that prissy Celine."

"Samantha, she said how marvelous it would be for us," EJ stressed to her.

"No she didn't, you were too busy checking out her ass to hear her correctly!"

"I was doing no such thing. If I was going to be checking out anyone it would be you and since you've put a no sex clause in our arrangement I'm not even allowed to do that, am I?"

Sami put a finger to her lips and tried her best to keep her voice down, "Shhhh, that cougar will hear you."

EJ broke out into a smile, "I think someone is jealous, first it was my personal assistant Kiaya…"

Sami snorted, "Hardly, she just wasn't letting me into to see you…"

"Barge into my office you mean…"

"You listen here I'm the mother of your unborn child and if I need to see you I will, no freakishly tall Amazon chick is going to keep me out!"

"See that is what I love about you. It's the kindness and goodwill you extol to others."

Sami cut EJ a questioning glance which he immediately realized his faux pas, "Like about you, that is what I like about you."

"I thought you didn't like me at all," Sami returned back just as quickly.

"You're a word twister Samantha," EJ began again only to have Johnny run into the room with them.

"We're going to play Twister?"

Sami and EJ both turned to their son who was looking so excited over the prospect of them playing Twister. No way could they let him down, "Well if we decide on this house we might be able to get a game in before bed."

"We don't have beds here Daddy," Johnny replied.

"We don't have a Twister game with us either, but you know I might persuade your mom that we could go get one if she'll just say yes to this house."

"Allie, Sydney, if Mom decides this is the house we can go buy a Twister game and play it tonight," Johnny shouted loud enough for anyone in the near vicinity outside of the house could probably hear him, much less his sisters.

Allie came running to the room with Sydney doing her best to keep up with her big sister, "Awesome, but we don't have beds EJ. How can we spend the night?"

Sami just smirked at EJ wondering how he could answer their question since he had put her on the spot with the kids about a decision to buy this house or not, her twins were so smart, just like she and Eric.

"We could go buy some sleeping bags and then tomorrow we could get some furniture."

"Yay Wal-Mart!" Johnny shouted and high fived Allie while EJ looked slightly puzzled.

"What's a Wal-Mart?" EJ asked.

"Kids I don't think your daddy has ever been to a Wal-Mart before," Sami stated smugly. "He's kind of a snob."

"I am not a snob," EJ retorted back in tone to show he wasn't too snobby. He couldn't help it if he didn't shop discount stores. Although he wondered if that was where they had bought those ghastly plaid outfits Samantha had sported for a while.

"It's cool Daddy, you'll love it. They have everything there, I bet we could find some sleeping bags and they also have lots of toys," Johnny told him as he went over to take his daddy's hand within his own.

"Toys!" Sydney exclaimed and clapped her hands.

"We aren't going to buy toys tonight," Sami told them firmly.

"Daddy said we could buy a Twister game and I know they have them at Wal-Mart. I saw them the other day when I was looking at the toy section."

"Come on Mom, this would be fun," Allie chimed in as she went over to EJ and took his other hand. Sydney just looked like she was about to cry since she couldn't get to hold her daddy's hand since the twins had gotten to him first.

"Come here baby, I'll pick you up," Sami opened up her arms for Sydney which she scrambled to get to her mother and then after Sami had hoisted her up on her hip, she turned her head and stuck out her tongue to her brother and sister.

EJ wanted to laugh, although he knew he shouldn't, but just being here with the children and Samantha was making him feel like he belonged, like they were actually a loving family. Well he was with the kids, but with Samantha he never knew where he actually stood with her.

"I guess this house would be a good one for us," Sami conceded, she was tired and she would have to deal with EJ later about the bedroom situation, but she didn't want to take the kids to a hotel and they seemed so excited about them all living together in one house.

Johnny dropped EJ's hand, "Do you want me to tell that woman that kept looking at you funny all day that we are going to buy this house?"

"She did keep looking weird at Daddy EJ all day," Allie agreed with her brother as she dropped EJ's hand too and they went off to find the lady. Sydney started squirming to get down going after her siblings so Sami put her back down on the floor where she could go catch up with them.

Sami stepped back and leaned over to whisper to EJ, "Told you so, I wasn't being jealous."

"Shut up," EJ muttered under his breath.

Sami shook her head, "We don't say shut up in this house."

EJ pulled her into his arms, turning her around promptly to face him, "Well then I guess I'll just have to find another way to keep you severely quiet."

"You wish…"

Whatever else she wanted to say to him was instantly cut off when EJ leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss.

Sami sighed softly as his mouth settled over hers. His lips were heavenly and she couldn't resist his impromptu gesture, not when he was the one to initiate it with her. She could indulge this sweet temptation at least for a minute or so couldn't she? Their tongues intertwined and before she knew it that white hot feeling of want that EJ always could seem to inspire came over her once more.

It felt so good, so right to be in his arms until she heard the kids coming back down the hallway, apparently with weird looker realtor lady in tow. She pushed her hands against his chest to break the kiss and they both stood there breathless before the kids rushed back into the room none of them realizing what was going on with their parents.

"Daddy, Miss Celine said you had to tell her we wanted to buy the house," Johnny announced with a roll of his eyes that was so much like his mothers facial expression.

EJ tried his best to pull himself together like he hadn't been kissing Samantha only moments earlier, not to mention trying to quell another part of his body that desperately wanted some special attention from her. He put on his best smile and held out his hand to Celine. "I think we'll get the house. Samantha loves it, especially how roomy our bedroom will be. What was it said that this room seemed simply magical?"

Sami smiled sweetly all the while wishing she could just kick EJ in the shin, she still wasn't one hundred percent sure they would be sharing a bedroom, but she guessed she would get into that discussion later with EJ. One thing was for sure, she couldn't allow EJ to kiss her again because when he did she got all muddled and confused. She needed to keep a clear head around EJ DiMera not be wishing for some kind of fantasy romance where he was all in love with her and she was with him.

She watched him walk out of the bedroom with Celine as they discussed what he would need to close the deal with the lady silly giggling telling him of course he could go ahead and stay the night tonight in the house, she knew he was good for the money to pay for the house.

She walked out the bedroom behind them, wanting to make gagging noises over how much the lady was sucking up to EJ. It was really pathetic and while she was making faces at them behind their backs EJ turned his head back and winked at her.

He was so full of himself thinking he was such a lady's man that every woman would be willing to do whatever he wanted to do especially if he winked at them. She rolled her eyes, like she cared if EJ DiMera winked at her, she didn't care at all.

She just didn't…


	22. Chapter 22

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXIX**

EJ was fully inducted into exactly what a Wal-Mart was by the time they finished shopping for some sleeping bags, pillows, food, drinks and of course the Twister game Johnny had immediately found as soon as they entered the store. It was surreal; he wasn't used to doing these types of things. He had servants to take care of shopping, cooking and household chores, but he saw it was actually kind of fun doing these things for himself and his family.

The kids made him laugh the things they would say were truthful if not all that tactful, and more importantly there was no guile in them. They were just happy to be together and he saw what an amazing gift Samantha was giving to him by agreeing to live with him and eventually marry him.

That was if he didn't blow it between now and then, their previous marriage ceremonies had usually ended up badly for him, which made him have more than a slight bit of trepidation when he thought that one day soon they would actually be married. He looked over at Samantha after they were all back into the car and wondered if she had the same reservations about what would be their new living arrangements and subsequent marriage would bring about in their lives.

If she did, her face didn't show it at the moment. She just looked like she was tired and rightly so, they had been through a lot for a day, plus last night the lack of sleep hadn't helped either. Then he smiled slightly thinking of last night, Samantha had been amazing even if they hadn't had sex.

He shook his head and concentrated on driving to their new home. He needed to clear his thoughts, they weren't going to have sex again, but it was going to be difficult to go back to no physical contact at all when they had been insatiable with one another for the past two months.

They arrived at their new house and EJ had Johnny and the girls help him bring in the bags. He wouldn't let Samantha take any into the house even when she gave him an irritated look. He knew she wouldn't understand he just wanted to take care of her and this new baby that was alive inside of her right now.

He thought it was a miracle things had turned out the way they had, he never would have dreamed Samantha would get pregnant again, much less actually tell him about it. Now he'd bought a house and they were all going to live there together. Maybe things were going to be different this time around.

It took some convincing on his part to get the children to eat their sandwiches Samantha had made them before they were going to play this Twister game that Johnny thought was one of the best games ever. EJ had never played the game before and had no clue what it would entail. He guessed Allie would tell them, she loved to be the one in charge even though Johnny rarely let her.

He'd put the sleeping bags over to the side of what would be their living room when they actually had furniture in it. He worried that Samantha needed a chair or something, but she had told him she would be fine. She had whispered to him that being pregnant didn't make her an invalid.

Allie looked over at EJ and Sami wondering what they were whispering about, but try as she might she couldn't pick up on what they were saying. It had been a strange day for her, she had expected they would have to go back to Rafe's apartment and she couldn't say she was sorry they weren't. It seemed like her mom and EJ were friends again. She really hoped they would stay friends this time; she really didn't want to go back to Rafe's ever.

Sami had settled against one of the walls, thankful to rest her feet. She was going to have to forgo the high heels before she started showing if her feet were already hurting this bad right now. Surely her feet weren't beginning to swell yet, it was too early.

Then again, she really didn't know for sure what her due date was; she'd have to call her OBGYN on Monday to set up an appointment. At least they might rest some tomorrow since it would be Sunday, but then she frowned thinking they would have to get new furniture for the house along with their clothes from the apartment. It was going to be a big hassle.

"Are you all right?" EJ asked after he had settled down beside her, his long legs sticking out way more than her shorter ones.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking of everything we're going to have to do tomorrow," Sami ran a hand through her hair to push it out of her face. "We have to get furniture since all we have here are the appliances."

"We can just look online for what you want, order it and have it delivered to the house," EJ explained as if this wasn't anything difficult to do.

Sami looked at him, "I also have to get my things from Rafe's, my clothes, the kid's clothes, toys…"

"You aren't going to bring those dreadful penguins over here are you?"

Sami smacked him on the arm, "EJ, Johnny and Allie love those and Sydney has been begging for one too."

"Please don't bring the plaid outfits; you know the only plaid worth wearing is Burberry."

"You really are a snob EJ DiMera," Sami narrowed her eyes at him, expecting him to start arguing with her to the contrary, but he didn't say a word. EJ frowned and it hit Sami that he probably didn't want any reminders of her life with Rafe. Well if she thought about it she would be furious if there was anything he wanted to bring from the mansion that had something to do with Nicole to their new house.

She reached out to touch his shoulder, "I didn't mean that EJ, you're just very particular, not necessarily a snob."

"I try not to be," EJ stated. "I guess old habits die hard."

"Well we have a lot of things to work through; I mean it isn't going to be easy getting adjusted to living with one another again."

"Because this time we will actually share a bedroom instead of the separate ones we used to have at the mansion?"

"About that," Sami began only to have the children yell that they both needed to come play with them.

EJ was glad the kids called over to him, no way in hell was he going to have separate beds this time around. Samantha may have decreed the no sex rule, but he was going to have some privileges of his own, one specifically that they would share a bedroom and that meant sharing a bed together.

EJ stood up and held out his hand for her to take so that it would be easier for her to get up from the floor. Sami reluctantly took it, hating her argument for not sharing a bedroom with him would have to wait.

They walked over to where the children had spread out the white plastic sheet that was covered in brightly colored dots. Allie had been able to get the spinner attached to the game board and they were all ready to begin playing. She then proceeded to tell them how they were supposed to play the game.

"You mum and I will watch you all play the game," EJ offered up to them. "I could do the spinner and call out the colors and where you need to place your hands or feet."

"Daddy play," Sydney grabbed his hand and gave him a pouty face.

Sami laughed, taking the spinner board from EJ, "Guess I'll get to call out the colors instead."

It was easier for EJ to play since he had such long arms and legs, but he would always mess up on purpose so that one of the kids could win. They laughed and laughed and it amazed Sami once more how good EJ was with the kids, all of them, he never made any difference between them.

Just another thing she had pushed away from her mind until now. Seeing EJ like this so carefree with that charming smile of his beaming that she had rarely seen in such a long time from him. Hearing the laughter of her children and seeing them with their father it made her realize she was doing the right thing.

How long had it been since the kids had played like this, giggling with one another and not having to worry about their voices rising in volume? Too long, because it seemed like ages ago since she had seen such a sight, one that she could get used to seeing every day since they would all be living together.

So lost in thoughts of what was and what could be if she just opened up her heart that she failed to hear the children calling her name.

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking," Sami said as Sydney came over to her holding out her hand.

"Mommy plays too," Sydney said in her sweet voice.

Sami shook her head, "I have to call out the colors."

"I can do it Mom," Allie offered scrambling up by pushing Johnny over to the side of the game board.

"I don't know Allie," Sami began only to have Johnny yell out to her.

"It's because Mom's scared we will beat her Daddy."

EJ looked up from his spot on the floor where he had recently fell and agreed with Johnny. "I think you are right son. I don't think your mum can beat us at this game."

Oh no, EJ wasn't throwing her a challenge because Sami could never seem to back down from one because she was so competitive. Although Sami wasn't sure about this since it was obvious she'd be up close and personal with EJ if she played the game, but if she didn't he was going to think it was because his presence bothered her. Which it didn't, at least not in the way EJ might think it could bother her.

"Okay, I will play one game and then it's going to be bedtime," Sami stated amidst the groans of it was too early for them to go to sleep, but she wasn't going to budge, they needed to stay on their schedule so when they went to school they wouldn't be cranky in the mornings.

"Your mum is right, one more game and then we call it a night, well we will after we beat her because there is no way she will win this game."

"We'll see about that," Sami moved over to the game board determined EJ would not beat her.

"Yes, we will," EJ countered back to her and Allie began to call out where they needed to go.

It didn't take long, Sydney was the first one out and then with an exaggerated sigh Johnny had slipped and he was out too, then it was only she and EJ and it wasn't fair he was so close to her and he smelled so good. Apparently these pregnancy hormones had her senses on overdrive. They kept playing and she was sure she was going to win when she slipped and pulled EJ down right along with her.

"It's a tie," Sami exclaimed, if she wasn't going to win EJ wasn't going to either.

EJ leaned in to whisper in her ear, "You cheated."

Sami shook her head, "I didn't, you fell the same time I did so it's a tie, right kids?"

Allie and Johnny looked at each other trying to decide the fairness of their mother's ruling while Sydney just piled on top of them giving them kisses and before long Johnny and Allie were joining their sister. They were beginning to rough house a bit with their playing when Sami looked alarmed.

EJ stopped them, his eyes turned to Sami, "Are you feeling ok?"

Sami nodded her head, "I just need to be a little more careful. I don't want anything to happen to the baby."

"Me either," EJ said and then they both looked at each other when Allie and Johnny simultaneously asked the same question out loud.

"What baby Mom?"

Sami sat up, not really knowing what to say; she hadn't planned on telling the kids this early. Hell she hadn't planned on telling her family today either, but they had pissed her off so badly it had just slipped out of her mouth before she thought better of it. Evidently the whole damn town of Salem would know before she ever had her first check up, well they would if that nosy Maggie caught wind of it.

"Mom, are you having another baby?" Allie asked.

"Is it going to be a boy?" Johnny asked.

Sydney just started yelling, "Baby, baby, baby!"

Sami looked a little shell shocked and even more so when Allie asked, "Is EJ the daddy or Rafe?"

"I am," EJ quickly answered before Sami could say a word to them.

"Good, I don't like Rafe," Allie stated as she crossed her arms in front of her.

"Did you and daddy kiss a bunch or something?" Johnny asked.

EJ and Sami both looked at each other, surely the kids were too young to know how babies were made.

"Johnny you know they did, if you kiss someone you can get a baby," Allie explained like she knew all about it.

"Yuck, I bet they hugged a bunch too without their clothes…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" EJ cut off Johnny before he could say anything else out loud.

"What daddy? We know all about how you get babies," Johnny said confidently.

Sami finally found her voice, "Who exactly told you how you get babies?"

"Ciara," Johnny and Allie said together in unison.

Allie began to explain, "Yeah, she told us she knows everything, she thinks she is so much smarter than us but I told her she was only a year older than us and that didn't make her smarter. Then she asked us did we know where babies came from and we couldn't answer."

"So she told us all about it," Johnny said proudly. "She's not smarter than us now."

Sami looked like her eyes were about two times bigger than they had been moments before and EJ was at a loss for what to say to them.

"Ciara, Ciara, Ciara," Sydney started singing.

"Well guess it's time for bed!" EJ said as he began to pick up the game to put it back in the box. "We need to unroll our sleeping bags and get our pillows out."

"Do we get a bedtime story?" Allie asked.

"Of course," EJ answered. He loved to read to the children and now he would have all of them together to read a story to tonight.

"Oh no," Allie said sadly.

"What is it sweetheart?" EJ asked all concerned.

"We don't have a book," Allie said looking around the almost empty room.

"I can tell you a story from my head," EJ told them. "I mean I can as soon as we get our sleeping bags out."

"Are we all sleeping in here?" Johnny asked.

"Sure," Sami answered even though she was still taken aback over what the kids had just told her.

They finally got their sleeping bags ready and they were all lying down with EJ sitting in the floor between them all.

"So what kind of story would you like to hear?" EJ asked the children.

Before they could answer Sami tossed out, "As long as it doesn't concern the birds and the bees anything would be all right."

"I know about those too," Johnny spoke up excitedly. "Ciara said…"

"How about Cinderella?" EJ asked before Johnny could tell them anything else about what information Ciara had imparted to them.

"I love Cinderella," Allie smiled while Johnny rolled his eyes at his twin, but he didn't complain out loud or he was sure he would get in trouble if the look on his daddy's face was any indication.

"Ciara, Ciara, Ciara," Sydney said while both Allie and Johnny shook their heads at their younger sister.

"Cinderella Sydney, not Ciara," they both said together.

"Rella, Rella, Rella," Sydney sung out instead.

Sami dropped her head in her hands; one thing was for sure she was going to have a long chat with Hope as soon as possible.


	23. Chapter 23

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXX**

It had taken a little while to get the children to completely settle down and fall asleep, but they finally did and EJ took a moment to just look at them while they slept. They really were something else; he loved how they looked at life and the things they would say.

It was going to be wonderful to be able to be with them daily. He had missed them all so much and then he looked over to ask Samantha something and she was fast asleep as well. Good she needed to rest especially after the past few days they had encountered.

She had been so strong to stand up to her family and for her to be defending him to them it had surprised him more than he would let her know. For them to have gone from her attacking him with certain members of her family months before, to now aligning with him was something he would have never expected.

He went over to where she had curled up in her sleeping bag and adjusted the pillow under her head. She didn't awake so he took the moment of quiet to look around the entire room and then back at her. She was beautiful, yet she was so much more too.

He didn't want to dwell on these growing feelings he was having for her, or rather the renewal of such feelings, he'd tried to stamp them out, yet no matter what they had done to one another he couldn't extinguish them. He wasn't sure of what the future held for them, but he was going to try his best to make her happy.

It was simple and complicated all at the same time, he loved her and maybe given time she'd come to love him too. He leaned over and kissed her softly on her forehead and then settled in behind her, thankful to have his family with him.

_Two months later…_

To say his father had been furious over his decision to move out of the mansion would have been an understatement. Stefano had bellowed and raged at him, not understanding his decision to leave the DiMera family home. He had questioned his loyalty which was something EJ had known he would do to him.

Anyone who didn't do exactly as Stefano wanted was considered a traitor, but EJ had stood firm in his resolution to start this new life with Samantha and his children. While he hadn't told his father he loved Samantha, he had told him the news of her pregnancy since if her family knew it wouldn't be long before Stefano had found out anyway.

EJ had asked did he need to leave the company business, but after Stefano had blustered on nonstop for what seemed like hours on end he told him he need not go to such extremes. He wasn't happy about his son moving into a new home with Samantha, but given the choice of either accepting that he was going to have Samantha in his life to never seeing any of them again had caused Stefano to let his displeasure over the situation to be kept to himself.

Stefano seemed surprised and skeptical, but EJ reminded him that his plan to ruin Samantha's life by hiring the faux Rafe backfired on him. Stefano had not eradicated the troublesome Brady girl as he liked to call her from EJ's life, but inadvertently brought them back together or as together as EJ guessed they would be with one another. Not that he was telling his father any difference. He hadn't given him too much information beyond what he needed to tell him to keep him placated enough to leave Samantha alone.

It had taken awhile for them to get settled into the house and establish a routine that worked for all of them. Adjustments to this new living arrangement between them had sometimes been nothing short of them both having to take a few steps back, look at the situation as to what would be best for the children and then forge ahead.

At least EJ reminded Samantha it was entirely for the children even if he wasn't going to tell her the truth that his feelings were growing for her daily. He loved her, but she didn't have to know that fact since it was evident she wasn't going to return those feelings to him. It was enough to be with her and the kids at the moment.

He'd gotten his wish of them staying in the same bedroom, he guessed since the bed was big enough Samantha thought she could keep enough room between them while they slept at night. Although most nights in sleep she had invariably found her way next to his body without her meaning to and in the mornings it took all EJ could do not kiss her good morning, much less anything else.

He was extremely frustrated sexually, she was so close to him physically in some aspects, yet mentally she was keeping her distance which caused him to do the same towards her. Every once in a while he thought she may have been softening towards him, but he didn't give much credence to this since he could have been imagining it. He'd been fooled by her before and that kept him wary.

If she missed her family, she didn't let on to him about it. Caroline was always welcoming to them even if they were pretty much given a frosty reception from the rest of the family beyond Hope which was strange, but EJ wasn't going to question it either. The only thing Samantha had said was after she had spoken with Hope about Ciara that they had found more common ground then she had previously thought they could and that Hope had become one of her confidants.

What confidences Samantha may give Hope was a mystery to him, but at least she was civil to him now and she and Ciara had actually even come to visit them in their new home. Several times had had arrived home from work to find them in the living room or kitchen talking while the children played with one another.

Luckily the twins and Sydney had not come up with any new things they had learned from Ciara. Which he was happy about and he guessed Samantha was too. They generally kept their conversations centered around the children and if it ever seemed to venture into something else about them usually one of them curtailed it if not both of them.

Her divorce to Rafe finally came through and luckily her family had not tried to sway her to reconsider her decision again after their so called DiMera intervention at the pub that day. He guessed maybe the news of her pregnancy had stunned them all so much they had given up trying to make her see their reasons for wanting her to stay away from him and what they considered his evil DiMera ways.

He hadn't pressed her about marrying him anymore yet even though he had wanted to do so as soon as her divorce to Rafe had been finalized. He guessed he wanted the time to be right and with their tenuous situation of learning how to be around one another again for extended periods of time he hadn't wanted to disrupt what little bit of good will Samantha had extolled to him lately.

The one thing though that had amazed him though was how Samantha had let him come to her doctor visits with her. She had kept her promise to him that he could take part in all aspects of her pregnancy. He had constantly been reading books on the subject even if he wouldn't tell her that, he didn't need her laughing at him, but he was excited about this baby. He just wanted to know what to expect and he was learning a lot just by being around her during this time.

After the doctor had confirmed her pregnancy in his office and subsequently done an internal ultrasound she had even given him one of the images of their tiny growing baby, it wasn't much more than a speck on the dark paper, but it was confirmation this new child would be coming into the world.

He'd had tears in his eyes, but luckily they hadn't fallen. He had placed the scrap of paper in his wallet, along with his pictures of the kids. He guessed he was a sap for treasuring something that Samantha probably didn't think would mean much to him, but her gesture had touched his heart greatly.

Honestly it felt like they were in a holding pattern of some sort, they weren't fighting with one another at least they weren't most times and if they did have cross words they never spoke them in front of the children. He had learned to take a breath and just try to understand why she was so moody sometimes.

The books had stated she would have mood swings so he tried to do his best not to bait her into an argument. The one thing he wished he could do was show her some type of physical affection, but since she had kept her promise about allowing him to be a part of her pregnancy in all aspects he had respected her wishes of no intimacy between them either.

It was difficult not to kiss her, to hug her, hold her hand even and he tried not to let his mind wander to anything else beyond those few things. He wanted her so much it sometimes felt like a physical pain resided in his heart not to mention other places, but he was doing his best to be a gentleman.

It was bordering on torture sometimes, but he manned up and didn't let her know that it bothered him. It didn't seem to bother her, then again when they had been married before Samantha had kept her distance physically too. He wondered if she would ever let him be close to her when they married again.

At the moment though, he tried to suppress his need for her and just be her friend and surprisingly it did seem like their friendship was returning in tiny bits and pieces. They might not ever fully recover their previous friendship they had shared although they had come further than he expected they would have in the short amount of time they had been living with one another.

He guessed he was growing too introspective trying to figure out exactly how they would manage things as time went on because he wanted to show her and tell her how much he cared about her, yet he was scared to let her have that kind of power over him once more. Maybe it wasn't about trying to fix the things that were broken between them, but starting over to creating something new possibly even being something better than they had before.

Another thing that had happened was that Samantha had expressed an interest in wanting to work with the company; she said she would go crazy if she had to stay at home all the time so he had given her a job in the cosmetics division of DiMera Enterprises. Since DE had done a hostile takeover of Countess W they had needed someone to spearhead the new venture and Samantha had risen to the challenge.

On the subject of work they seemed to get along well with one another. Samantha liked to bounce off ideas with him and he in turn with her so even if their physical relationship was pretty much at a standstill, their working relationship was a very good one.

Samantha didn't ride with him to work, mainly because she picked up the children from school and he worked long beyond those hours, plus as she liked to joke with him she didn't want anyone to think she had gotten the job because she had slept with him. Every once in a while though she stayed at home if the morning sickness was too much for her to handle that early in the day. She had been really sick many days, but she didn't ever complain to him. He admired that trait in her; she was so strong even when she didn't feel her best.

He tried not to hover over her, she didn't like anyone trying to take care of her, so he did his best to stay back and let her do her own thing. That was until the day when the school had called him saying the children had not been picked up from school and they had tried to call Sami several times with no answer.

EJ called her cell phone too, but all he got was voicemail and when he tried again the same thing occurred. He then called Hope, wondering if she was with Samantha and if her phone had died, she was prone to letting the battery run low or completely out on several occasions. He was concerned after speaking with Hope when she said she hadn't heard from Sami today. He decided to call Caroline maybe Samantha had went to visit her, but she told him she hadn't seen her granddaughter today at all.

He felt a panic beginning to rise, he called Hope asking her to please pick up the children for him and he would get them later if that was all right with her. Hope readily agreed asking him was everything all right and he answered yes, that Samantha must have gotten tied up with something and lost track of time. After disconnecting the call with Hope he tried to call Samantha several more times, worry growing with each unanswered call.

He put on the jacket to his suit and told Kiaya he was leaving the office for the day. He decided he'd go check at the house first, and then go from there if she wasn't at home. He didn't want to think the worst, but he needed to make sure she was all right.

Surely nothing had happened to Samantha.


	24. Chapter 24

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXXI**

Sami had noted the changes in her body more than time than the others, maybe it was because she was extra conscious of what was going on, or it could be that she hadn't been so stressed out this pregnancy unlike her other ones. For once she wasn't going through some life or death situation, hiding her pregnancy or trying to pin the pregnancy on someone else other than the actual father.

_Wow when she thought about it sometimes her past behavior shocked even her, although she guessed when she was old and grey she wouldn't ever think she hadn't lived a full and rather extreme life at some points._

She hasn't wanted to complain, but the morning sickness had morphed into an any time of day sickness, certain smells made her sick, she'd been having dizzy spells and the nausea feeling basically stayed with her instead of subsiding within a month or so like it had during her other pregnancies. She hadn't felt well this morning, yet got the kids off to school with a smile.

When EJ had left the house, she hadn't told him how badly she felt. There wasn't anything he could do anyway and she had thought if she gave herself some extra time after everyone was gone and it was quiet that the dizziness along with the nausea would stop. Then she could get ready for work.

She loved her new job and she was proud of the things she had been able to accomplish within the short time she had been made the head of the Countess W division. It also didn't hurt that Kate was seething with jealousy over the fact that she had no part or say so now that she and Stefano were estranged and Sami was in charge.

Yes, it was petty, but she disliked Kate. That woman had caused her so much trouble over the years although if Sami had to pick the person she hated the most it would have to be Nicole. She didn't think she would ever forgive her for her part in what she had done to keep Sydney away from her.

Then again if she would have had her way she would have kept Sydney from EJ and robbed them both of knowing each other. Whenever Sydney sang or threw her arms around her daddy to give him a hug, EJ's entire demeanor changed. He was wrapped around her little finger so maybe fate had intervened in a strange way for them all.

She didn't have time to ponder over the past though; she needed to get to work. Most days she didn't even see EJ at the office unless they were having executive meetings since she had asked him not to give her any special treatment. She wanted her work to be the reason she was in the job she was doing, not because she had asked EJ to give her a chance. She wanted to prove to him he had done the right thing by choosing her to head up Countess W.

Plus work was a safe topic for them to share, their children and work were the main things they spoke of when they were together. EJ didn't broach any subjects of them or their relationship anymore. It felt like he had put her on hold after they had moved in together. Then again why would he find her attractive? She didn't have that pregnancy glow, more likely it was a pale shade of green at the moment.

She had even talked to Hope about how EJ didn't seem interested in her nowadays. Even though Hope wasn't EJ's biggest fan, she had tried to be objective when Sami had told her of her growing feelings for EJ and his utter lack to even glance her way most times. At night she sometimes thought he might cuddle up with her, but he kept a respectable distance from her at least until they both fell asleep.

Hope had told her that she was making too much of things. She suggested maybe EJ was giving her time to get adjusted to this new life, but Sami argued with her that surely EJ would at least try to kiss her or something, but he hadn't tried anything since the day they had bought the house.

EJ didn't want her anymore and she was afraid to tell him how she felt. How could she admit she had been wrong about him for so long, that he really was the man she wanted in her life? She just couldn't throw herself at him, he'd reject her and then it would be extremely awkward between them. So she followed his lead and played it cool, she knew how to not act interested, it was a trait she had excelled in for years around him.

She just needed to clean the kitchen and then she'd go to work and that had been her intention until the first wave of nausea hit her and she barely made it to their bathroom in time before she threw up. When she had tried to get up afterwards the dizziness assaulted her senses and she had to sink down to the floor.

That was the start of the day from hell, from that point on she was either throwing up or barely able to stand due to her legs trembling so much. She tried to get going each time afterward, she could make it to work now, surely she didn't have anything left to throw up, but as soon as she arose, it would start all over again.

She wasn't sure of the time, she must of fell asleep as she leant against the base of the tub from one of the many times she had struggled to get her bearings and now her body was sweaty, her hair in tangles from her trying to keep it away from her face when she would vomit and the sick taste in her mouth would trigger it all again.

So she closed her eyes, praying this feeling would pass, she didn't know how much longer she could take feeling this way and she didn't even try to get up again. Maybe all she needed to do was rest a few minutes and then she would finally feel better.

_~Whatcha Say~_

EJ drove with no heed to the posted speed limits; he needed to get home to see if Samantha was all right. So many different scenarios played out in his head that it scared him to think of what might be the matter; it could be anything especially with having Stefano as a father. He just prayed she and the baby were all right.

He felt a trickle of relief when he pulled up to their home and her SUV was parked in the driveway. Then what if Stefano had ordered some of his thugs to take her away? He shook his head; he didn't need to think that way. Surely there was some explanation as to why he hadn't been able to get in touch with Samantha today.

He fumbled with his house key as he tried to open the door; it took a few times until he managed to get the door opened. He looked around the house everything seemed to be in order until he reached the kitchen and saw the dishes they had used from this morning were still on the table.

Samantha had told him to go on to work, she would clean up the kitchen and then she'd be on later. He should have stayed and helped her, but the kids had been begging for him to take them to school and he hadn't wanted to make them late so he had left with them after giving Samantha a rather hasty goodbye.

He looked around the rooms downstairs, but she wasn't in any of those rooms, he took the stairs two at a time, rushing to their bedroom, she wasn't in there either, but when he checked their bathroom her found her curled up on the floor.

"Sweetheart, are you all right?" EJ asked thankful she wasn't a captive of his father's like he had initially feared, but he still wasn't sure what was going on with her.

Sami tried to answer him along with opening her eyes, but it was difficult to focus so she closed them again and then she woke to feel the strength of EJ's arms as he picked her up from the floor, cradling her body against his as he began to carry her. She didn't realize where he was taking her until she felt him lay her on their bed.

The next thing she could remember was having a slight shiver when EJ started to pull off her sticky clothes and then the refreshing feeling of a cool cloth on her body as he wiped away the icky feeling she had on her skin. She wanted to help him get some new clothes to wear, but her arms didn't want to cooperate with her when he placed the most comfy pair of pj's that she owned on her.

He left her again for a few moments after he had turned down the covers on her side of the bed and then he picked her up once more holding her in his arms as he settled in the bed with her, he sitting up with his back against the headboard with her in front of him. She leaned into him as he started to brush the tangles out of her hair, being so gentle that she barely felt him pull the brush through her hair.

She didn't know how long he brushed her hair, but it was heavenly after the day she has spent. He held her after he finished brushing her hair and they are quiet for a long time, neither one of them saying a word to each other until she felt him press a kiss to the top of her head and whispered, "I'm sorry you feel so bad."

She made the effort to turn slightly and open her eyes and his expression is so worried that her heart constricted with a feeling of love for him, something when all this began between them months ago that she never expected to feel. She knew her feelings had changed, but being here with him and the realization that he would take such good care of her makes it clear to her that this is something she doesn't want to run from any longer.

She is about to say something to him, to assure him she will be all right. These are just symptoms of pregnancy and this time it culminated on her all at once. Plus before she hadn't had three relatively small children to look after too, then it hits her, "What time is it? I was supposed to pick the kids up from school after work and I never made it to work today either."

She tried to move to get up and EJ carefully stopped her, "It's okay, the school called when you didn't show up and I got Hope to pick them up so that I could come check on you. I was getting worried when I couldn't get you on the phone."

"EJ I'm sorry…"

"Sweetheart don't you dare apologize for being sick. You should have called me and I would have come straight home from work. As for the children, Hope has them and I can go by later to pick them up. Plus I'm sure Beauregard will be delighted to see me again."

She tried to chuckle, but she's really tired. She felt EJ start to move from behind her, but she slumped against him slightly to prevent him from leaving. "Don't go, for once this entire day I don't feel like I'm going to heave everything out of my system."

"I need to get you something to drink, you may already be dehydrated. Should I call the doctor? Do you think everything is all right with the baby?"

The note of worry in his voice is even more proof that he hasn't been immune to her as she had previously thought. Why do they play these games with one another? But she just doesn't have it in her to do a full on confession of these mixed up feelings that are going on with her. It is probably better for him to get up before she starts babbling to him when she isn't sure exactly what she should say to him.

"I might be able to drink some Gatorade, it seems to help sometimes when I feel this way," Sami said even though she didn't want him to move away from her either.

"I'll just go get some and bring it right back to you," EJ barely moved her as he extricated himself out of the bed, being sure to place some pillows behind her head as he helped her to lay down without him being behind her.

It didn't take long and he was there, beside her holding a glass for her to drink out of while he placed one arm to keep her from falling over. Sami reached for the glass and EJ just shook his head, "Let me do something for you. It's the least I can do for getting you in this condition. Sweetheart if I had realized how this pregnancy would make you so sick I would have never…"

"Gotten me pregnant?" She arched her brow at him. "EJ it takes two and I was a more than willing participant, in fact if I remember correctly if I hadn't of came back to the mansion that day…"

"But I'm glad you did," he interrupted her; he didn't want to hear how she regretted her actions that placed her in this situation in the first place. He removed the glass and placed it on the nightstand. "I don't want you to be sick. I wish it were me instead."

"Trust me, you don't want to feel like this," Sami began as she motioned for him to get back on the bed with her, this time he moved beside her instead of behind her so that he could see her face while they talked.

EJ reached out to stroke her hair, "Should I call the doctor? Surely this can't be normal."

Sami shook her head and placed one of her hands on the hand EJ wasn't using to play with her hair, "I'll be okay, if it continues I may have you call him, but really I feel better just from what you did to help me when you arrived home. The baby is fine; he or she just decided to unleash a wave of hormones on me today. We'll be all right."

"Are you sure? Samantha if anything were to happen to you or the baby…"

She managed a smile, "I'm sure. This isn't my first rodeo, each pregnancy has been different, but apparently this little one is going to be a firecracker by making their presence known."

"You promise that is all there is going on? You never complain about being sick."

How could she not fall in love with him? He was so caring and concerned for her and their unborn baby and he was doing his best to take care of her.

"I promise," she stated with a brief nod of her head, she didn't want to move too much and bring back the dizziness and if she threw up one more time today.

The hand that he had been using to run through her hair went to her face, "Well you don't worry about anything, the kids, the housework, your job. I have it on well authority that the boss thinks you're amazing."

"Not too amazing today," she countered as her eyelids felt heavy.

He leaned over to kiss her forehead softly, "Especially amazing today, but right now you need to close your eyes and go to sleep. You need to rest."

She doesn't want to sleep, there are so many other things she needed to do, the most important is to tell him how much she cares about him and appreciates all he has done for her and the children, to thank him for taking such good care of her when she is sick, but all she managed to get out is a mumbled okay in way of agreement with him that she needs to rest and the last she remembered was him looking at her as he began to run his fingers through her hair again.

She'll tell him she loves him soon, she will this time around instead of being scared, she just needs a few more days to get her nerve up to tell him and then she drifted off the sleep. The words of love never spoken.


	25. Chapter 25

[i][b]Whatcha Say  
>Part XXXII[b][/i]

EJ knew he needed to get up from the bed now that Samantha was sleeping peacefully, but he guessed his nerves had gotten the best of him today and he was hesitant to move away from beside her. From his immediate fear that something bad had happened to Samantha and the baby to finding her on the floor of their bathroom it had shaken him up more than he wanted to admit.

He liked being in control at all times and this feeling of helplessness wasn't a welcome emotion. Even though Samantha was resting she still looked paler than she usually did, the healthy glow she had in recent weeks wasn't present in her face this evening. When he had picked her up from the floor, she wasn't heavy in his arms either even though she had commented in passing a few times that she was gaining weight.

He had noticed while he changed her out of her clothes into something clean and comfortable the very slight baby bump she now had and he'd have to be blind not to notice how her breasts had increased in size. Tried as he might he didn't want to think sexual thoughts of Samantha especially since she had made it painfully clear months ago she wasn't interested in any kind of physical intimacy between them, but it was difficult not to because he was so attracted to her, had always been attracted to her from the first time he had seen her.

He ached to touch her daily and this afternoon her allowing him to brush her hair and take care of her while she was sick unfortunately only made it worse. He realized forlornly that he was falling in love with her more each day and the feeling he had felt when he saw her lying helplessly on the floor had wrenched something deep within his heart. He inwardly scoffed as he remembered his declaration to her of not believing in love anymore and wondered if he would ever have the courage to tell her how he truly felt about her.

He wanted to always take care of her, to love her, to shelter her from harm and god forbid if something were to happen to her, he would be utterly lost without her. But could he reveal these things to her and risk having his heart broken by her once again since he knew she wouldn't ever feel the same way about him? He didn't need to burden her anymore than she was already burdened, hadn't seeing her lying on the floor so sick she could barely move evidence enough that he poisoned everything he came into contact with at some point or the other?

He shook his head, he needed to put her needs first, and he'd lived with this unrequited love for her for years. He guessed this was going to be his lot in life, his penance for all the bad things he had done to her and other people because quite frankly the list of his wrongdoings was pretty long. So he wouldn't make her feel guilty or put her in a position where she felt she owed him by his declarations of love for her.

Then a thought came to him, even if he couldn't say the words aloud, he could show her and that is precisely what he would do. It wouldn't be the same as hearing the sentiment returned from her, but maybe she'd see his true heart in other ways. He pressed a kiss on her cheek and carefully moved off the bed.

EJ left the room with a renewed sense of purpose; he could do this for her and his family. At least he could tell his children how much he loved them even if he couldn't tell their mother. He'd just have to be more creative when it came to Samantha. Plus he had always relished a challenge and this would definitely be challenging.

He walked into the kitchen to begin cleaning up the dishes and the mess that had been leftover from the morning and realized with a wry smile that even a few months ago he wouldn't have ever he thought about doing such a task. He'd always had servants to take care of things like this every since Stefano had come into his life, but it was kind of therapeutic to clean, to be doing something to take his mind off the worry about Samantha and their unborn baby's well being.

After the kitchen was spotless once more, he went back to check on Samantha, she was still sleeping which was exactly what she needed. He couldn't even imagine how terribly she must have felt today and it made him determined to do whatever it took to make her feel better. For all her claims that it had taken the two of them for her to be pregnant it still bothered him that she was so sick while he could go about his day without experiencing the aftereffects of their trysts raging throughout his body.

She deserved so much better than him. Sighing he turned from the doorway and took out his cell phone, going to his contact list and choosing Hope's name. The call went through and luckily he got her without his call immediately going to her voicemail.

"Hope, this is EJ."

Hope's voice was low and EJ guessed it was so if any of the children were trying to eavesdrop on their conversation they would be hard pressed to hear exactly what they were talking about, "I'm glad you called. Is Sami all right? Did you find her? I've been worried about her."

"Yes, I found her, she was at home too sick to even get out of the bathroom, much less answer her telephone."

"Thank god, I thought Stefano might have done something to her…"Hope's voice trailed off as she realized whom she was speaking with was none other than Stefano's son. "EJ, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed that, much less said it out loud."

EJ leaned up against the wall, "No offense taken especially since the thought had crossed my mind as well."

"Can I do anything? The kids can stay the night here if you would like, especially since tomorrow is Saturday?"

"Hope, I hate put all that on you especially when I called you at last minute notice to see if you could pick them up from school."

"Ciara loves the company, plus it's nice to have a house full of kids for a change," Hope stated with a wistful note in her voice as EJ could hear the sounds of the children playing in the background.

"Bo won't mind?" EJ asked hating to imposition Hope since she had been so good to Samantha and their children.

"Bo's not as bad as you think," Hope began with a chuckle then added, "kind of like how you aren't as bad as you pretend to be around people."

"Don't let him hear you or he'd charge you with blasphemy since you know all DiMera's are evil with the exception of my dear sweet sister Alexander of course."

"She had her days too, but that is in the past. Maybe that's in your past too?"

EJ laughed, "Hope is it possible another Brady beyond Samantha could dare entertain the thought that all DiMera's aren't evil incarnate?"

"I'm still debating on the issue, so I'll get back to you with an answer at another time," came her cryptic reply. "As to the issue at hand, we would love for the kids to stay over tonight. You take care of Sami and I'll bring them by tomorrow afternoon if that is okay with you."

"Are you sure?"

"EJ, I wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it. You need to focus on Sami at the moment."

"Thank you Hope, I really do appreciate your kindness."

"Whether anyone else in the family will admit it or not, you're good for Sami. I guess I just see things differently than most of them. So goodnight and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Please tell the children I love them and their mom does too."

"I will. Goodbye EJ."

After they had disconnected their call it made EJ wonder exactly what Samantha had been discussing with Hope lately because it was more than a little surreal to have a member of Samantha's family actually being nice to him. He wasn't sure what to make of the change in Hope's attitude for him. He was grateful for whatever it was though because Hope was right, he needed to take care of Samantha. She had been going nonstop lately and apparently it was all catching up to her.

He went to check on her again and it looked like she was attempting to get out of bed. He immediately was at her side before she could sit up.

"Sweetheart, are you okay? Do you need help?"

Sami blinked her eyes, trying to concentrate on EJ's words, but hearing him call her sweetheart made her pause. He rarely used that endearment with her anymore but she thought he may have called her that earlier too when he had found her on the floor of their bathroom and it was wonderful to hear it from him once more.

"I just wanted to go brush my teeth, but I'm still a bit woozy."

"I'll help you if you let me."

Sami quirked an eyebrow at him, "You're going to brush my teeth? I think I can handle using the toothbrush if I can shuffle my way to the bathroom."

"I can walk with you to the bathroom. I don't want you to fall," EJ gingerly put his arm around Sami to steady her.

"Thank you," Sami replied trying not to think how nice it was to have EJ right there beside her. He smelled so good and that caused her to pause thinking how awful she must smell after her nonstop day of throwing up. She must look horrible as well. Her worst suspicions were confirmed when she caught sight of her visage in the mirror.

EJ noticed Sami stopped walking with him and he looked at her frowning. "Am I invading your personal space? Do you need for me to back off? I'm sorry I didn't mean to presume…"

The tears started then, Sami instantly wishing her hormones weren't on such a trigger switch. "Why would you put up with me? I'm a hot mess, I'm fat, my hair looks like a rat's nest, and I'm amazed you haven't already fainted from my halitosis…"

EJ was taken aback, how could Samantha believe those things about herself? While it was true she wasn't looking like she was in the running for America's Next Top Model at the moment she was all he had ever wanted, no one else compared to her in his eyes.

"Now I'm snotty too," Sami began to wail in earnest.

"Oh honey, you are the most beautiful woman in the world to me, snotty or not."

Sami shook her head in negation, EJ was just trying to be nice, and he didn't mean those words.

"You don't believe me?"

"No, I'm a train wreck," Sami cried even more.

EJ picked her up being careful not to walk to swiftly to get her nauseous again and headed back to the bedroom, choosing to sit down in one of the chairs they had chosen for the room, placing Samantha in his lap.

"Samantha, please look at me," EJ ordered in a kind voice.

It took a few moments, but she finally brought her watery eyes to his, but she couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"I want you to listen to me. I don't see all these imperfections you see in yourself…"

"Are you blind?" Sami blurted out.

"When I look at you I only see the most incredible, amazing woman who is having my child, who is the mother of my beautiful children and I'm fortunate enough to be able to see her grow in beauty each day." He placed his hand lightly on her stomach causing her PJ top to ride up enough for him to touch her bare skin. "I wake up each day to see your face and it hits me how lucky I am to be living this life with you and our children. You're having my baby and I'm the one wondering why you would put up with me, not the other way around."

She didn't say anything in response to him. Maybe she didn't want to put up with him and that made him feel sad, thinking once more he had said too much, revealed a layer of himself that he shouldn't have to her, then her eyes grew wide and she began to smile, "Oh my god EJ, can you feel it?"

"Feel what?" EJ asked his head almost snapping over how quickly her mood changed, from weepy to almost giddy.

"I can feel it, the baby is moving," Sami exclaimed, pushing her top up more and moving his hand to the spot where she felt the movement from within. "Can you feel it?"

EJ shook his head, trying to concentrate, but it was difficult because he'd never felt anything like that before.

"It's like butterfly wings fluttering inside of me," Sami told him, grasping his hand and moving it over a few centimeters. "It's early so it may be a while before you can feel it on the outside, but believe me our baby knows you're here."

"I wish I could feel it," EJ said.

"I promise when you can feel it for sure, you'll be the first one to touch my stomach and feel it with me," Sami stated whole heartedly. "Just trust me, its happening. Our baby is reacting to your voice. This is so incredible."

EJ nodded his head, at a loss for words and before he could stop himself he raised his other hand to go behind her head to pull her into a kiss, the first one they had shared since the day they had bought the house together.

And it felt like coming home...


	26. Chapter 26

**_Whatcha Say_**

**_Part XXXIII_**

They kissed a few minutes before Sami realized she needed to get up from EJ's lap. Apparently the man wasn't even fazed by how awful she looked or even when she knew she had to have horrid breath. How could that even be possible? She was under no illusion she looked pretty or desirable since today had been utterly dreadful until EJ had found her.

She surmised it had to be a pity kiss because he hadn't attempted to kiss her in the past two months they had been living together, not even once and they shared a freaking bed with one another. He perplexed her most times, well that and infuriated her a lot of the time in between. She refused to think of the times when he was charming, funny and downright sexy; she just couldn't go there and keep her sanity.

Sami pulled back and placed a shaky hand on his chest, "EJ you don't have to try to make me feel better about myself by kissing me. I know I look like something the cat dragged in after a rainstorm."

EJ just chuckled, "You don't get it, do you?"

"What's there to understand? I have a hormonal meltdown right before your eyes and you were just trying to shut me up to keep me from launching into a full out crying jag," Sami explained away the kiss like it wasn't anything other than some kind of grand gesture from him.

"Darling, you are magnificent whether you are dressed to the nines or you have had to face a challenging day like you have today instead."

She shook her head, not believing a word he said, after all EJ DiMera was a liar, just like her. They could lie far easier than telling the truth. It was a defense mechanism for her, the way she preserved herself from others hurting her. She wasn't sure why EJ lied like he did unless it was an automatic response from him inheriting the damnable DiMera DNA code.

Although if that were true she already had two of his children and as far as she was concerned they were close to darn near perfect so her lie theory about EJ would be incorrect. Surely though EJ didn't use the same coping mechanisms she applied to her life on a daily basis because if that were true they were even more alike than she had previously thought.

Instead of dwelling on their similarities she would rather argue with him over how wrong he was, because he was wrong. Sami chose to call him on his BS; no way would he take things further between them than the simple kiss he had given her.

Not that she wanted him to take things further, but still she was going to make him be the one to back down instead of her. It never hurt to turn the tables on the man to keep him on his toes, right?

She arched her brow in disbelief and initiated a kiss to him, which she was sure he would stop soon enough. While it took him by surprise EJ's tongue mated with Sami's and within a few moments she felt a rush of hot lust that began as a throbbing ache to feel him inside her again since it felt like ages since they had had sex.

Without over thinking things further though to ensure she wouldn't chicken out Sami pulled back from the kiss for her hands to grasp the bottom of her t-shirt which she quickly pulled off from her body, instantly revealing her breasts to EJ since she wasn't wearing a bra underneath. His eyes widened in amazement over her actions and he paused as if he were stunned.

"What are you doing Samantha?"

"Trying to knock some sense into you," Sami explained as if he were dense.

"By revealing to me your glorious breasts when you damn well know yours are my weakness? Are you trying to give me blue balls on purpose?"

Sami waved a hand over her now topless form, "I told you I was fat, this look is not sexy. There is nothing remotely enticing about being pregnant."

EJ looked at her like she had grown a third eye in the middle of her head. Where did this woman come up with these untrue things about herself? "You're barely showing, you're not fat at all, and even when you get bigger it won't bother me. My god woman you're pregnant!"

"Don't remind me, my body has reminded me enough of that fact today," Sami frowned slightly as she remembered bits and pieces of her day which only brought it clearer how yucky she felt all over, her body wasn't her own at the moment.

"Why do you tempt me so?"

"If you are tempted by this physique we need to get you another appointment with the optometrist. Do you not have your contacts in your eyes?"

While EJ hated to be reminded over his rather poor eyesight when he didn't have his contacts in or his glasses on he wasn't going to let her goad him into a fight, "You have to know I think you are exquisite."

"Frumpy is more like it with a huge dose of dragon breath," Sami fired back grumpily.

EJ wanted to shout, but this was typical Samantha behavior for her to pick a fight with him instead of facing her feelings. Then it popped into his mind, maybe she did care about him or she was growing to care for him. He looked at her once more trying to will away his desire for her especially when she was sitting in his lap dressed in nothing more than those skimpy boy shorts she liked to wear as pj's bottoms.

He shifted in the chair, getting his hands under her so that he could pick her up which he did all the while Sami protested over him carrying her back to the bathroom. He gently placed her down standing in front of him although she kept her eyes downcast choosing not to look into the mirror. EJ calmly hummed as he reached for her toothbrush, wetting the bristles and then placing a generous amount of toothpaste on it for her.

"Do you want me to brush your teeth or can you do it yourself?" He asked trying to keep his voice even although he was horny as hell seeing her barely dressed.

Sami grudgingly grabbed her loaded toothbrush from him, "I think I can manage although you are more than welcome to step back a few feet."

"I just don't want you to fall, you still seem a bit shaky," EJ replied plus there wasn't any way she could miss the hard on he was sporting, then again she'd have to lose feeling in her lower extremities while they were sitting in the chair together not to have felt it then.

Sami began brushing her teeth, trying not to look at EJ looking at her in the mirror because she knew her breasts were bouncing around while she brushed her teeth. She was thankful she hadn't gagged during the process; she would be mortified to throw up in front of EJ although she doubted the smartness of her latest move to prove to EJ she wasn't sexy by taking off her top because he appeared to be spellbound by her image in the mirror.

It was a relief to have fresh breath again she thought as she went about running water over her toothbrush to place it back in its holder. She was about to turn around, go fetch her discarded top because she really felt overexposed now, but before she could duck around EJ he stopped her from moving forward.

"Where do you think you are going?" EJ asked blocking her escape from the bathroom.

Sami instantly covered her naked breasts with crossed arms and shyly looked up at EJ, "I'm going to retrieve my shirt."

EJ shook his head, "Not yet."

Sami uncrossed her arms, she could feel herself becoming angry and was about to tell EJ off when he picked her up once more and placed her bottom on the edge of the sink.

"EJ, I don't know what you are thinking, but…"

He placed a solitary finger to her lips, "Shhhh, I'm going to show you exactly what I think of you in your condition."

And then he proceeded to do just that…


	27. Chapter 27

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXXIV**

EJ's hands immediately cupped her naked breasts, squeezing them gently before lightly pulling on her oversensitive nipples. Sami closed her eyes and then gasped when she felt his mouth start to suck upon one of her teats and then the other making sure to give equal attention to each one.

She leaned back on the bathroom counter, taking her hands and drawing him in closer to her by threading her fingers into his hair. He kept going from one breast to the other and then he began to pull back some, giving her teasing love bites, not hard enough to cause her real pain, but it wasn't soft tugs either.

All of the sudden he was moving her off the counter and she lay her head against his chest while he took her to their bed. He settled her gently in the bed, and he slid the skimpy boy shorts off her with ease. She felt him lay down beside her, although for a few brief moments he didn't do anything else to her. Finally he quietly requested, "Open your eyes Samantha."

It took her a few seconds to get her bearings, but she did as he asked opening her eyes to see his face and was amazed at the attentiveness of his gaze.

"When I look at you I see so many things, you are so extraordinary that it baffles me why you would think you aren't."

Sami frowned and was about to say something to him to contradict him and before she could utter a word he leant down and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips. When he ended the kiss she was going to tell him that he was crazy and then he began a feather-light touch on the nipples he had eagerly sucked only minutes before.

Sami was caught in a sensual web that EJ was weaving upon her body, his hands and fingers traced patterns on her everywhere he touched. She could feel herself becoming wet, yet he wasn't anywhere near the spot that she ached for him to touch. She instinctively shifted open her legs a tiny bit, feeling the cool air of the room as the moisture she was producing increased.

He whispered words of adoration and praise to her, sometimes his voice was so low she could barely hear what he was saying while he placed kisses on her neck, and then speak a few more words as he made his way slowly downward. It was heavenly, her body was responding with each touch of his hands or kiss from his lips.

She wanted to close her eyes again, to lose herself in these amazing sensations EJ was creating, but every time she almost shut them EJ would say or do something else to bring her full attention back to him while she tried to figure out what was going on in his mind. This was the man that haunted her dreams more than she would ever admit even to herself, much less him. She felt tears come to her eyes though when he leaned down to kiss the slightly rounded baby bump.

"You are having our baby," he said in awe and reverence. "You're the only one I ever want to have babies with, the woman I…"

Then he stopped before completing his thought and that frustrated her more than him not touching the one place on her body where she needed it the most. He ran his hand across her stomach, savoring the feel of her soft skin and then he saw the tears in her eyes and moved back up to look at her, taking one of his hands to her face. "You my dear are perfection."

She wanted to disagree with him, but never got the words out before he was kissing her once more and when she felt him slip his fingers inside the place she was craving him to touch and heard him groan over how wet she was, she was on the verge of cumming already. She raised one of her knees trying to give him better access, yet he continually kept her on the precipice, slowing his fingers down every time when he thought she was getting close to completion.

His kisses were so sweet, they weren't demanding or punishing kisses like the ones they had shared that long ago day in the DiMera pool house and while she had enjoyed them immensely, she was beginning to see how EJ could be gentle with her too. It was like he was finally revealing another layer of himself to her of how he might have been with her all along if she had only given him the chance instead of constantly pushing him away from her when he got too close.

Yet she wanted to be able to touch him as well, to see the planes of his body, to feel the differences in him. She ended this latest round of kisses from him with a plea, "EJ please…"

He paused his ministrations and gave her a curious glance, "Please what Darling?"

"I want you to take off your clothes too…"

EJ shook his head no, "This is all for you, I want to make you feel good." EJ then placed a tiny kiss on her shoulder hoping she would allow him to continue, it wasn't about him and his needs even though he felt like he could explode he wanted her so much.

His unselfishness was endearing. How many times had he put her needs above his own? She knew without a doubt it was more times often than not. She had to make him understand that she wasn't the same woman she used to be taking from him and then leaving him all alone when things got too real between them.

"EJ, make love to me," she requested softly, her words barely audible.

EJ stopped everything he was doing; he surely couldn't be hearing her correctly. Ever since they had begun this madness neither one of them had said anything remotely close to those words. She had asked him several times to fuck her as he had her on those spellbinding forays of passion they had shared during those weeks they had been sneaking around with one another, but this was completely unexpected.

Sami immediately realized she had stunned him when she saw the confusion of his face, hell she had stunned herself by asking him to make love to her, but sometimes the truth spilled out of her when she least expected it.

He came up with an excuse to keep her from saying things he knew she didn't mean, while he could handle many things from her, he couldn't bare for her to toy with what was left of his tattered heart, the one she had broken time and time again. He could explain this moment of weakness away because that had to be what this request was that she had made to him. "You've had such a bad day, you aren't feeling well and here I am trying to take advantage of your vulnerability. Forgive me for my thoughtlessness."

Sami replied this time a bit more confidently, "EJ I'm feeling much better and I want this, I want you. Don't you want me?"

"Always," was his instant reply before he realized his slip up in admitting how much she was on his mind.

"Then take me," she reached up to unbutton the last of the buttons left closed on his dress shirt and when she had completed that task, she started on his belt.

His hand stilled hers, "Samantha you don't have to do this…"

"Yes, I do since you seem to have forgotten how to take off your clothes yourself," she chided teasingly as she unbuttoned his pants and felt how big he was when her hand finally grasped him fully.

Seeing he wasn't going to deter her and he did want this as much as she apparently did, he managed to remove the clothes that were now hanging on him from where Samantha had tried to take them off.

She smiled a real smile as he settled back into the bed beside her and then heard him gasp in surprise when she took him fully in her mouth, letting him slide to the back of her throat. It felt so good that he was afraid he wouldn't last two minutes, let alone enough time to make her not regret this rash decision she was making by wanting him to make love to her.

Then all thoughts of what he should or shouldn't do were lost and EJ gripped the headboard with both hands. He tried to remind himself to breathe, watching Samantha continue to go down on him avidly. Suddenly she would change her technique and would brush the head of his cock slowly back and forth against those sinful lips of hers. When she licked the pre-cum from his tip and gradually sucked the head of his cock between her lips while never breaking eye contact with him, he let out a harsh groan.

EJ's eyes rolled back in his head, this was too much sensation especially when he had lived like a monk for the last two months, being close enough to touch her while they lay in the bed night after sleepless night with one another, yet not reaching the distance across and doing all the things he had desperately wanted to do to her.

"Oh...Sam...an...tha," her name came out in broken syllables instead of the elegant silkiness he usually said when calling her by her name as he struggled to catch his breath. "You…need…to…stop." He looked down and met her wide eyes, yet she didn't stop, just kept giving him untold pleasure.

Sensing she was determined to see this to the end, he grabbed both sides of her head and he couldn't help it any longer as he instinctively thrust his hips forward, sinking balls-deep into her hot mouth. Instead of gagging like he was worried she might by his impromptu actions she just hummed and took it all in stride. She gripped her fingers into his hips tightly and only sucked harder.

"Damn…so good," was all he could say as she pulled back until just his head was in her mouth and then she bit him lightly and he immediately slammed back down her throat, cumming so hard he almost blacked out from the intensity. His fingers tangled in her hair, head thrown back with a loud cry. She swallowed repeatedly, not spilling one drop of his hot seed, milking him completely dry.

He slipped out of her mouth, gathering her up in his arms both of them now lying together against the headboard. He kissed her temple repeatedly and tried to catch his breath. She rubbed the back of her hand over his cheek, watching him carefully, while he began to trace his fingers along her back.

She leaned up and kissed him softly, tracing her tongue along his lips so that EJ could taste his essence upon her. EJ moaned under his breath and sank into her kiss, tucking her hair behind her ear. She ran her nails lightly down his side and he shuddered, kissing her harder.

He cradled her against him closer, kissing her over and over, totally lost in the taste and feel of her. He brushed her hair to one side so he could get better access to kiss her neck. She rubbed one of her legs against him sinuously and he could feel himself stirring again.

"I want you so much, need you so much," he finally said although he was still breathless.

"Me too," she nodded her head in agreement. "Take me EJ. I'm yours."

He felt like he was dreaming, he wasn't sure she had said that to him, he had imagined her saying things like that to him for so long that he wasn't sure if she was actually saying those words to him now. He used two fingers under her chin to tilt her face up to his. He kissed her slowly, pouring all his love and excitement into his kiss without actually telling her he loved her, but damn she had to know how he felt about her even if he didn't say the words aloud.

He would show her though as he grazed her clit with his fingers, instantly coating his fingers with her wetness, knowing she was more than ready for him to continue. She immediately arched into his touch, whispering for him not to stop touching her.

"I won't," he promised as he continued to stroke her clit wanting her to cum, not stopping even when she began to whimper that she was so close and then when she came shaking with tremors as soon as he placed his fingers inside of her while she rode them without a second of hesitation on her part.

Samantha was drifting, caught in a sensual web that tightened around her even more when he laid her back on the bed and finally pressed himself into her waiting heat. She savored every movement of EJ's hips, every kiss he whispered across her lips, every feather-light touch of his fingers across her nipples. She dropped her head back onto the pillows tossing her head back and forth until he held her face still with one hand. He kissed her passionately and plunged his tongue into her mouth in time with his hips as he pushed his hardness against her until they both came together this time.

When they both stopped shuddering, EJ relaxed his grip on her and started to pull out of her, but she shook her head no. She reached up and drew his head down once more, kissing him softly. She broke the kiss momentarily to whisper, "This is perfection. We are perfection together."

And for once EJ couldn't argue with her because he believed every word she said. Her simple words to him was what his heart had long to say to her for years. He smiled a smile hadn't ever seen before on his face and agreed, "We are Samantha. You and I together…"

"Are amazing," she finished for him as he nodded, feeling tears come to his eyes wishing he could form the words that he loved her, had always loved her, but the fear was still ever present that she would reject him once he spoke the words of love to her. Then she surprised him even more when she whispered, "I love you."

He froze, he was definitely hearing things now, and maybe he was hallucinating after having such orgasmic bliss with Samantha.

She could see the uncertainty in his eyes, wished she hadn't caused him so much pain over the years so that he could believe her words.

So she said it again louder this time with more conviction in her tone, "I love you EJ DiMera." She then kissed him briefly, "I love you so much," punctuated by another soft kiss. "You're so good to me." Another kiss, "You love all my children unconditionally. Yet another kiss, "You love our baby."

And then she is kissing him again trying to erase the doubt and she knows in her heart she if it takes the rest of their lives to make him believe her she will tell him everyday how much she loves him and before long they are lost in each other again in their own special world where their imperfections blend to one of perfection.

Together.


	28. Chapter 28

**_Whatcha Say _**

**_Part XXXV_**

Their kisses were more gentle after Sami had declared her love for him, fleeting touches of their lips upon one another and yet before they turned into something more, the passion Sami knew so well from EJ, he pulled back from her. He shifted up some on the bed, enough to separate their bodies which had been entwined only minutes before.

She was sure she was going to hear EJ return those words of love to her, she had experienced how much he cared about her, and whenever they touched no matter what they might have claimed to feel for the other it all became pretty clear. Or rather it was crystal clear to her this was so much more than them hooking up with one another to relief the sexual tension that had been building since they had moved into this house together.

The seconds he remained quiet turned to minutes and to Sami it felt like hours ticking by the longer he didn't say anything. Usually EJ was the one who could and would vocalize what he thought saying things to her even when she hadn't wanted to hear them.

This time though was different, she did want to hear what he was feeling, what he was thinking about them.

And he wasn't saying a damn word, not even an utterance.

It didn't help that he had separated their bodies either, but she was determined for once she wasn't going to take the easy way out with him like she had done so many times in the past. He had told her she was magnificent whether she realized it or not and if that was the case then she had to start believing it herself.

She sat up in the bed beside him, taking a portion of the bed sheet in her hands and pulling it up to cover her body. She continued to look at him, but his face was unreadable.

He wasn't going to make this easy for her. Then again she rarely ever took the straightforward path in life, although this time would have been a good time for it to occur.

"EJ, did you hear what I said? I told you I loved you."

He nodded, yet still didn't respond in kind. If anything he seemed to be closing himself off to her by moving away a few more centimeters.

She decided to take a different approach with him, "Do you want to get dressed? Would you be more comfortable if we weren't in the bed having this discussion?"

He shook his head no.

"Well if you keep scooting away from me before long you are going to fall off the bed," she tried to keep her voice light and jovial, but she couldn't get him to smile.

It was like he was struck mute and his sense of humor was turned off too.

She took a deep breath, tried to calm her nerves because this wasn't how she had expected things to go after her declaration of love to him. Apparently he wasn't going to make this simple for her and it made her realize how difficult it was to say the words and how terrifying it was not to get a response in return.

How many times had she done this to him over the years, when he tried to get her to open up and see the possibilities of what they could have together if she would just give them a chance and she had shut him down repeatedly?

But he had agreed with her earlier that they were perfection together and that was a hell of a start from where they had been with all the recriminations and fighting they had inflicted upon each other over the years.

"EJ, you don't have to say the words. I didn't tell you that I loved you just to hear you say those words back to me. I needed you to know that I'm not going to run away from you, from what is happening with us this time and I hope you won't either."

EJ sat up straighter, grabbing some of the bed sheet as well to cover his lower body and then looked at her, really looked in her eyes, and Sami could see the wariness in his own.

EJ didn't believe her. He didn't fucking believe her.

This hurt, but then honestly what did she expect? For EJ to tell her he loved her too and then immediately press her for a wedding date since he had been adamant they would be married before their baby was born?

It hit her; that was exactly what she had expected him to do and he wasn't doing it.

To say her pride wasn't taking a major hit at the moment would be an understatement, but she sucked it up, pasted a smile on her face that she didn't feel and she would hang on because she knew one day he was going to tell her he loved her. She only wished she hadn't taken such things for granted when he had freely bestowed them upon her.

"Samantha, I…I just…" he faltered.

His reluctance to open up to her was scaring her a bit; it wasn't like EJ to ever be tongue-tied. He was an articulate man, very direct, painfully so most times in fact, but right now he seemed to be at a loss. He took a deep breath and tried again.

"Samantha, you know I haven't always had the purest of intentions when I came to Salem."

Sami nodded, she knew all too well what his father had intended for him to do to her family upon his arrival in Salem. She had felt betrayed when she had learned he was a DiMera and thus the walls had come up against him and she had kept them up to protect her heart from being broken.

"Purity of heart has never been one of our strong suits," Sami stated in a matter of fact tone.

"I played mind games with you when you had offered up the something I now value more than words can say, your friendship. I didn't know how to be a friend to anyone and you showed me how friendship worked and before I knew it I had fallen for you and it scared me, the intensity of feelings I had for you."

"It scared the hell out of me too EJ. It still does and much as I tried to escape it, to deny it, we just keep getting these signs from the universe and they are getting harder to ignore."

"Like we are the ones fated to be together?" EJ asked his voice almost breaking as he searched her face to see if that was what she meant.

Sami reached for his hand and he didn't pull it away from her when she grasped it. "Yeah, it's you and me against the world."

"I want to believe that, but we've played so many mind games on each other."

"I'm not playing any kind of mind games this time." Sami stated wholeheartedly.

EJ's voice cracked, "I'm not either."

"That's huge for us. No trying to one up each other."

"No trying to stay two or three moves ahead of each other."

Sami smiled, "I want us to move together for a change. We can do this together EJ."

"I want to believe what you are saying."

Sami knew she was going to have to be the one to wait it out this time and patience was definitely not one of her strong suits, but she wouldn't let her fears and insecurities get the best of her this time. If this was the life she wanted with him she was going to have to prove it to him.

She knew she couldn't erase all his doubts about her sincerity in one night, but she could start.

"We'll take it one day at a time, or as the case may be at the moment, one night at a time. But right now I'm starving; do you think you could get me something to eat?"

Apparently EJ could handle this kind of question better because he immediately replied, "Sure anything you want. If we don't have it, I'll go get it for you."

She didn't want him to leave the house; she'd been alone all day while she had been sick and now all she wanted was to be with him. She wanted him and not just in the sexual sense like she had done in seeking him out months ago. She wanted his companionship, his friendship and his love although right now she would settle for something to eat.

"Just some ginger ale and peanut butter crackers," she said as she reached past him for her boy shorts he had taken off of her and dropped the sheet from her chest so that she could shimmy back into them.

"That's all you want?" EJ asked as she got up from the bed to retrieve her tank top and put it back on too.

"Food wise that's all I think I can eat right now without feeling sick again," Sami stated as she turned to face him dressed in her comfy pj's. "After you get back can we do one more thing?"

"What?" EJ's looked uncertain since he wasn't sure what she was going to ask of him.

She suggested hopefully, "Could we watch movies in bed together? Not porn though, you know just something else."

"Besides porn?" EJ asked as he tried not to laugh at her reddened face. He was glad the mood was lightened because when he hadn't been able to tell her he loved her it had been tense. He wanted to tell her of his love for her, but he knew all too well how one could say things in the heat of the moment of passion that might not necessarily be the entire truth. He wasn't entirely sure that she meant it either.

"Yeah, like we can have a spend the night party where we watch movies all night, just not a naked one," and then she blushed even more when he got out of the bed naked.

"And you have gone to naked spend the night parties before?" EJ asked trying to keep a straight face.

"No, it's just that you know what I mean," Sami stuttered as he walked up closer to her while trying to avert her eyes.

"Do I?" EJ asked as he reached for his boxer shorts and put them on. "Is this clothed enough for you?"

While she wasn't going to tell him even when he was fully clothed she still wanted to jump his bones, but she could handle it better if he had on at least the boxer shorts.

"Yeah, so about those crackers?"

"I'm on it, just know one thing. You are the only one I'd let eat in our bed."

She tried to be stern, "I better be."

He leaned in closer to place a kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back in a minute."

She watched him go and felt hope blossoming. She settled back in bed, reaching for the remote and searched Netflix until she found the perfect movie, it was romantic, yet funny enough she wouldn't be crying either.

EJ reappeared with a tray of crackers, peanut butter, and a bottle of ginger ale, two glasses and some fruit. "You need fruit too."

"You're not a fan of peanut butter," She noted and let him settle back into bed beside her.

"While that might be the case; I need something to eat too." EJ took a few grapes and popped them into his mouth and offered her up a few. Sami rolled her eyes, opened up her mouth and allowed him to feed her some. Then EJ turned and poured them both a glass of ginger ale to drink.

Sami accepted her glass although before she drank any she saw EJ look at the TV screen skeptically when he saw the title of the movie.

"It's a good movie," Sami began to defend her choice of movie to EJ.

"Serendipity?"

"Yep," Sami answered with confidence in her voice. "My choice of movie tonight after all I've had a bad day."

"Hope your night was better," EJ held out his glass to toast to her.

"Tonight was lots better," Sami smiled and clinked her glass to his and after she had finished drinking she placed her glass on the bedside table and snuggled up next to EJ and started the movie.

EJ kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer while they watched the movie together. And when she fell asleep in his arms it was as close to a perfect ending of a day that he could remember.

When he was sure she was asleep, her soft snores for the past ten minutes were a pretty good indicator he kissed the top of her head once more and whispered, I love you too."


	29. Chapter 29

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXXVI**

When the first rays of the morning light shifted across their forms Sami was awakened before EJ. While she had an incredible urge to go relieve herself; thinking this baby must be lying directly on her bladder, she put off getting up as long as she possibly could because she was mesmerized by the vision before her. EJ was still asleep, the faint shadow of a beard already upon his face even at this early hour of the morn, his hair is sticking up in various places upon his head and without a doubt he was the most handsome man she has ever seen.

A man she knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he loves her even if he didn't tell her he loved her last night. His actions have belied what he feels even if she has driven him to the point where he is afraid to trust his emotions around her. Whether he realizes it or not, after last night he has instilled a newfound confidence within her being, and it was a much needed gift whether he has already realized it or not.

Too many times in the past her insecurities have plagued her, caused her to make choices which drove away any chance of finding happiness that was so close within her reach, but this time she isn't going to let her fears get the best of her. No, this time she is going to open up her heart and her soul to this man, the one who can drive her crazy with anger, lust and most importantly EJ is the man who is teaching her how to love someone beyond the love she feels for her children.

It makes her wonder once again what their new baby will look like when he or she is born. While both Johnny and Sydney have dark hair like their father, Sydney's is much lighter than Johnny's and their eyes are completely different from one another. At first the idea of having another child after being a mother to four children already was daunting to her, now not so much.

She can handle this, along with a career as well. While everything isn't picture perfect, she likes where her life is headed. She wants a life with her children and EJ. The realization of sharing a life with EJ instead of it being frightening to her like in times past, it is exciting and unpredictable, just like them.

It suddenly hits her; she does want to wake up beside him each morning. For all her claims in the past years of not wanting or needing EJ DiMera she in fact does want and need him in her life. She wants to belong to him and in turn he to her. She wants the man lying beside her to be all hers.

She recalled what he had begun to say to her last night before he stopped himself from saying more.

_"__You are having our baby," he said in awe and reverence. "You're the only one I ever want to have babies with, the woman I…"_

She knew he had been on the verge of telling her he loved her. It had been on the tip of his tongue, yet he had held himself back. Not that she can blame him for being cautious; she knows she's been all over the place with him emotionally from the first time they met.

While she doesn't want to wait for him to acknowledge they are meant to be together, she is going to try her best to be patient which is going to be pretty difficult if he continues to look this sexy in the mornings. Not to say she hasn't noticed how cute he was in mornings past because they have shared a bedroom for the past two months, but last night was the first night they've kissed each other in this bed, the first night they have made love with one another.

Whether EJ would admit it or not, they had made love and it was good, really good. Something had changed between them last night and it had gone beyond how much they were sexually compatible to another level altogether. One she was very much interested in exploring what would happen the next time and the next time and the time after that too. She almost snorted with laughter because the possibilities were probably going to be limitless as to what they may come up with in that particular department.

She needed to quit thinking about how incredible the sex was between them last night because while it was all kinds of hot she had to admit she liked cuddling up and watching a movie with him too afterwards. EJ had ended up making what had started off as a terrible day for her into a some kind of wonderful evening as soon as she had stopped crying over what a complete and total mess she was during this pregnancy.

Thinking of her current physical status, this baby felt like it nudged her bladder again and if she didn't get up from staring at EJ while he continued to sleep she was going to have a not so pleasant reminder of what happened if you waited too long to go to the bathroom when you were pregnant. Reluctantly she moved away from his arms, ones she must have fallen asleep in sometime after the movie was over.

He must have sensed her moving away from him because before she could leave the bed, she felt him try to pull her back into his arms. She quickly leaned in to kiss his cheek and successfully extricated herself to make it into the bathroom with only a few moments to spare.

EJ woke up and realized immediately that Samantha wasn't in the bed with him anymore. He had thought he had felt her stirring beside him, but he'd been so sleepy that he hadn't opened his eyes. He yawned and sat up stretching his arms over his head and was about to get up from the bed when she entered their bedroom from the adjoining bathroom.

She gave him a shy smile and he instantly thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world especially when she smiled. Add in the fact she was actually smiling at him instead of frowning and it literally made his heart skip a beat. She climbed back into bed before he could get up and immediately snuggled against him.

Well he could get used to this in the mornings, a smiling Samantha who wanted to be right beside him instead of how most mornings she had quickly tried to move away from him as soon as possible if they both woke up at the same time.

"Good morning," EJ said kissing the top of her head like he had done the night before when she had fell asleep in his arms.

"It is," Sami agreed smiling even more now as she situated herself more comfortably, one of her hands reaching out to touch his chest and tracing a path up to his neck. She wanted to kiss him, but she also wanted to talk to him, to assure him that last night wasn't just about her admitting things to him because of the passion they had shared with one another.

He kissed her hand and then she pushed back from him slightly. She wanted to look into his eyes, really look at him without any pretense of hiding her feelings from him anymore. It was as if last night any fear she had of suppressing her true feelings for EJ had dissipated into thin air.

EJ wasn't sure what to make of this intense scrutiny from Samantha, she had never been one to stare longingly into his eyes, most times she had tried to look anywhere else in the room when she was with him, but this morning she wasn't being evasive. There was definitely something different about her.

"Are you feeling all right this morning?" EJ asked trying to figure out this new angle she was apparently using on him.

"More than all right," Sami nodded and moved in even closer to him.

"Really? I mean you were so sick yesterday when I arrived home."

"I was, but then you came and made everything better for me, like you've done so many countless other times, but I haven't wanted to admit it before now."

"I've also made a mess of things between us too many times to count," EJ replied honestly with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

She nodded her head in agreement, "As have I, and while I know we can't change the past, I'm going to work on how I react to things in the future."

"You are?"

"I am and while it may take a little while for you to believe my sincerity…"

"A little while?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly hearing him voice his doubt in her motives. "Okay, maybe a long time before you see that I meant every word that I said to you last night, but one day you will know it without a doubt."

"Which is?"

Damn it if he wasn't going to make this easy for her, EJ and all his questions he used even when she would ask a question to him. She guessed it was the lawyer in him besides him just trying to be an ass in general. She took a deep breath, counted to ten silently and then spoke, "I've realized sometimes the wrong choices can lead you to the right places."

"Which wrong choice would you be referring to since we have plenty amongst the both of us to last several lifetimes?"

"The day I sought you out at the mansion after you thought you had thrown us out of there."

"I did throw the lot of you out."

"Whatever," Sami rolled her eyes at him. "I was upset with you and wanted to prove a point to you that you weren't going to get the best of me."

"Wouldn't that have been you were trying to get the last word in after I told you all to get the fu…?"

"Language EJ," Sami primly reminded him with a light touch on his lips to silence him from completing what he was going to say to her. She recalled vividly what he had said to them all and even more so what had happened when he had surprised her after she had returned to the mansion.

EJ was tempted to kiss that finger that still lay upon his lips, but he also really wanted to hear her version of the story because as usual it would be vastly different from his own.

When Sami was satisfied EJ wasn't going to interrupt her, she continued, "I'm glad I came back that day to confront you."

"Because of the mind-blowing sex?"

"Well," she paused for a second as if contemplating that thought, "the sex was good that day."

"Good is the only adjective you can use to describe the sex?"

She was ready to slug him, she truly was, "EJ, you know what I meant. I shouldn't have to laud praises on your sexual prowess to stroke your ego. So as I stated earlier the sex was good that day."

It was like EJ couldn't help himself, she kept putting it out there and his incessant need to tease her "Just that day?"

He was goading her into getting mad at him; she knew his tricks since they were same ones she had used on him several times over. "EJ I swear if you don't shut up and let me finish saying this I'm going to…"

Then before she could say another word he had her under him and there was no doubt in her mind there was one part of his anatomy that had her full attention.

"What are you going to do with me sweetheart? Show me," EJ's eyes danced with merriment as Sami struggled between her desire for him physically and the desire to tell him the depths of her feelings she had for him.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" She started to struggle to get out from underneath him, but he wasn't budging an inch.

"Very much so," EJ closed the distance between them and this time silenced her with a kiss instead of those maddening questions he had been posing to her this morning.

Damn him she thought as they begin to kiss, but she guessed they could talk later, right now she had to deal with another pressing matter, one that apparently couldn't wait any longer.


	30. Chapter 30

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXXVII**

"So you were saying earlier?" EJ gave Sami an all knowing smile after they had made love this morning, which was another plus since they had never had just wake up morning sex with one another before. He really liked this new aspect of their relationship.

Sami decided to play coy with him, after all he had distracted her from her original purpose of trying to convince him that she really was head over heels in love with him and it wasn't because of the sex which somehow kept improving with each new encounter they had shared. She guessed a large factor could be now she was willing to let herself go with him instead of holding back and being afraid to show her true self.

"I can't recall what I had been about to say to you," Sami deflected since even though she had greatly enjoyed their interlude this morning she knew he had done it to stop her from delving into a more serious subject with him.

"Guess I have that effect on women," EJ winked at her as he swooped in for a chaste kiss on her lips which Sami dodged and didn't let him complete.

"Women?" Sami inquired with a stern look that EJ swore it might even show a tad of jealousy on her part.

"There's only one woman I want to have that effect on," EJ corrected himself before she threw one of her famous hissy fits upon him and ruined what EJ hoped would become a morning ritual of making love to her. He definitely wanted to be able to do this with her more than it being a one-time occurrence because it had been incredible. Whenever he got Sami agitated with him, it did something to her if they were in a sexual situation and in turn he reaped the benefits and those benefits were something he wanted to keep coming, pardon the pun.

"Who would that be?" Sami asked still not losing the stormy look she had upon her face as her question drug him out of his musings of sex with this amazing woman.

EJ touched the tip of her nose, "You, my dear, only you."

Sami looked skeptical over his answer. "Are you sure about that?"

"Without a doubt," EJ closed in on Sami to try to give her another kiss.

Sami put her hand out to stop EJ again before he could kiss her once more, "Oh no, you are not distracting me this time with a kiss."

EJ kissed her hand instead, "Come on Samantha, give me a kiss. You know you want to kiss me."

Sami shook her head and pushed his lips away from her hand, placing both hands on his chest instead, "No, I don't want to kiss you."

EJ took both her hands in his and removed them from his chest making her fall back on the bed so that he could roll over and face her while they lay on their sides facing one another, "I think you are lying."

"You'd know all about that wouldn't you?" Sami scooted away from him angling to get out of the bed before she succumbed to his charms because when he turned on the charm it was difficult to resist even though long ago she had mastered the art of escaping him before she gave into him.

"Let's not go there," EJ remarked as he tried to keep her from leaving the bed, but she was quick enough this time to get on her feet before he stopped her.

Sami was almost to the door of their bathroom, "I'm not, and in fact I'm going to go clean up because I'm pretty sure I smell like…"

"Sex?" EJ asked in jest as he got out of their bed too coming up to her and backing her up against the doorway of the bathroom.

Sami shook her head and tried to push him away, "You're an ass."

"You like my ass," EJ stated confidently to which Sami just snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Think what you want, I'm going to take a nice long bath," Sami informed him as she tried to turn away from him. "Without your annoying presence."

EJ didn't let her budge, "Let me come with you. I'll scrub your back for you."

"We won't fit together in that tub," Sami looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Yes, we would," EJ began to argue with her, anything to keep her from storming off mad at him because he knew he was an ass a lot of times, but he couldn't help himself, he loved to flirt with her, that was something which hadn't changed for him over time.

"You never take a bath, you always take a shower."

"How would you know? Have you been spying on me?" EJ asked loving how her face darkened with anger again.

"No, I have not been spying on you," Sami did push on him harder this time to move him away and he finally let her past him so that she could walk into the bathroom although he followed in directly behind her. She tried her best to ignore him as she went to gather her up some towels and a wash cloth from the linen closet.

EJ easily reached over her head and tried to tug on the big fluffy towels away from her although she held firm and didn't let him succeed in getting any of them away from her. "Samantha, let me get in the bathtub with you. I promise to be good."

"Like that is possible," Sami shot back at him. "You and good do not exist in the same universe."

"How about I be bad instead then?" EJ pulled her back against him and kissed her neck.

"EJ," Sami began weakly as he continued to kiss her neck.

He leant up from kissing her to whisper in her ear, "Pretty please. I'm really good at being bad."

Sami almost lost her balance when she heard his sexy voice whispering those words. She maneuvered away from him enough to step back a few feet away from him and shrugged her shoulders as if it didn't matter one way or another if he took at bath with her or not. "Well you so smell like you need a bath as well."

EJ grinned and tried to look appalled, "Do I smell like sex too?"

Sami just threw the towels at him instead of replying.


	31. Chapter 31

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXXVIII**

EJ deftly caught the towels Sami had thrown at him and placed them on the on the counter, and then he walked over to the claw footed tub, turning the faucets on full force to run the water for their bath. He tried not to smile because he knew she wasn't happy with him, but he planned to make her be in a much better mood by the time they were finished.

"You don't have to smirk," Sami crossed her arms in front of her body as she glowered at his back.

EJ waited until the tub was full before he turned around to see her face doing his best not to do exactly what she was saying about him. "I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing as smirking at you, my beautiful wi…"

Then he stopped himself, he'd almost said wife and they definitely weren't married this go round. While they were getting along with each other better than they ever had before he sure as hell couldn't define what she was to him, or what their relationship was either.

The cocky confidence that had been on his face fled so quickly it was almost comical Sami thought as she caught his flub immediately and turned it around on him like he had done to her earlier. "You were saying?"

EJ turned off the water and then walked over and looked down at her, uncertainty written all over his face. "Damn it Samantha, half the time lately I don't know what I'm saying to you. You've gotten me so mixed up."

"About what? Us?" Sami asked trying to figure out how his mind worked now, a long time ago she thought she knew all about EJ DiMera, but she was wrong. Every time she had been so sure of his motives he would do something else to throw her off guard, to keep her guessing and this time was no exception.

"Of course us," EJ answered quickly. "I mean you have mastered the art of hot and then cold toward me so perfectly that I'm afraid if I open up to you this time it will just end up the same."

"You revealing your heart to me and whenever that seems to happen you end up watching me running away from you?"

EJ nodded his head, "It wouldn't be the first time, now would it?"

"No, you know me better than anyone else," Sami shrugged her shoulders. "Does it make you feel superior?"

"God no, you've got me flustered to the point of being speechless or so tongue tied I'm saying things I shouldn't say to you."

"I want to hear what is on your heart. If you can give me a chance EJ, give us a chance," Sami began only to have EJ chuckle mirthlessly.

He reached out and took a strand of her hair, twirling it around his finger, "Look we've got the physical side down, you know I've been attracted to you, wanted you from day one even when you denied it with ever fiber of your being. Now you want the emotional side too after all I did to bury it away? Come on Samantha, you've given me mixed signals for years."

"Has it ever crossed your mind if I had ever allowed those feelings to come to the surface back then that you'd realize I'm not good enough?"

"Bullshit," EJ rolled his eyes, using one of her mannerisms. "You've enjoyed the game, of having me chase you, to grovel at your feet and for once I'm not doing that and it bothers the hell out of you That was the real reason you came back that day to the mansion wasn't it because I wasn't begging for you to love me anymore."

"You're wrong," Sami shot back and pulled back away from him enough that he had to let go of her hair or he'd pull it out from her head.

"I don't think I am," EJ took off his boxer shorts and walked past her, getting into the tub without her.

Not to be outdone by him, Sami removed her tank top and boy shorts. She confidently strode over to the tub and climbed in the bath. She turned to face him, sitting on his lap, and put her legs around his waist. "I know I'm not sweet enough, or kind, of god forbid selfless because I am selfish and sometimes I can be mean and downright bitchy. I've never been able to be the woman anyone wants me to be."

EJ stroked her calves, "You've always been the woman I wanted. I don't want a woman who would be meek and mild. I want you Samantha Gene Brady. I've told you countless times, but you've refused to listen."

"Maybe I'm ready to listen now," Sami said softly.

"Kiss me," he whispered back, no trace of joking in him like he had only minutes before.

Sami stared at him speculatively, wondering how well he'd take it if she just gave him a peck on the cheek. But she knew that's not what he wanted from her. It's not what she wanted either. She edged forward slightly to tighten her legs around his waist so he could know without a doubt this is right where she wanted to be.

With him.

EJ grinned and pulled her more securely into his lap. Sami closed the distance between them, nipping at his lips until he opened his mouth to her and they kissed hungrily.

When their lips parted, "Samantha, you are all that I want. Can you please give me some time? When I say the words I want to say to you I don't want there to be any trace of doubt between us."

She nodded her head in understanding, determined not to cry because she really understood what he meant and why he was saying it to her.

EJ put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer, his swollen cock growing as he rubbed it against her thigh. Sami pressed her mouth fully to his once more, her wet breasts slid across his chest, while his tongue invaded her mouth again. Both wrestled for control as they deepened the kiss, although neither one succeeded in subduing the other.

EJ's hands shifted to Sami's ass as he angled her so that he could finally enter her and then when he had successfully secured his place he pulled her even tighter against him although he still hadn't begun moving inside of her body yet. The water splashed against the edge of the tub, spilling out into the floor, something they would have to clean up later but right now that was the last thing on either of their minds.

Then one of his hands slid up her chest, as he cupped and kneaded her slippery breasts. Sami clutched his shoulders to give her some leverage and then she began to slowly move up and down upon him. She finally broke the kiss as they both gasped for air.

"Keep going Sweetheart," EJ groaned as she began to pick up speed.

"I'm not stopping for anything," Sami confirmed as EJ's hands went back to her waist to maintain her pace she had gotten to with him.

"Good," was all EJ was able to say in response.

''Oh god EJ.'' Sami moaned in approval as EJ dropped his head to her neck as he made a trail of hot wet kisses on her neck. He tipped her back slightly and the new angle hit her in a spot that she instantly began to cum around him.

She slowed down her movements as he started to swirl his tongue at the underside of her breasts, before he kissed his way up to her nipples and sucked each one in turn gently.

''EJ?'' Sami gasped finally catching his attention by the sound of her voice.

He stopped and pulled back to look at her, even though he was still embedded deep inside of her as her orgasm continued.

''What Darling?'' his eyes still dark with arousal even as he felt his own orgasm being triggered by her continual contrations around him.

"How can it be any better than this?" She asked she watched him cum, his face etched in ecstasy like she suspected hers had been only moments before.

EJ smiled, "Trust me, it will be."

Somehow even in her post orgasmic bliss she knew he was telling her the truth and she could wait as long as she needed to before he told her he loved her because she knew when he told her this time it would be forever.


	32. Chapter 32

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XXXIX**

To think back just twenty-four hours earlier she felt like her ass had been kicked by a wicked case of morning or rather all day sickness to now sitting at the breakfast nook eating a light brunch meal with EJ was surreal. For her to be acting like nothing was out of the ordinary was even more weird because even though she was pregnant she had experienced some of the best sex she had ever had in her life with EJ.

She wasn't going to tell him that pertinent fact though. Maybe it was all these crazy pregnancy hormones kicking in a couple of notches higher with a vengeance and given the fact that it had been over two months since their last sexual encounter before last night and this morning could have contributed to her rating it so highly on her list.

Not that she had a list of best sexual experiences ever written down somewhere because god forbid if the man across the table eating a fruit cup found something like that she had no doubt he would blackmail her with the information or even worse tease her about it. She must be slowly losing her grip on reality when she thought someone teasing her would be worse than being blackmailed.

Well being blackmailed was something she could handle with ease, been there and done that several times over by him, yet being teased by EJ wasn't fun since it was apparent he derived such pleasure from getting her all flustered and exasperated with what he thought were such witty comments. He really was a jackass she thought as she was close to stabbing the poor fruit that was left in her bowl instead of enjoying the last juicy tidbits that were remaining.

She felt like the walls were closing in on her, she needed to get out of here, away from him before he started making fun of her. Sometimes she could be a good sport about it, well rarely ever could she be one, but damn him for looking so good while he ate his meal like nothing in the world was wrong when her mind was a tumbled mess.

She hadn't liked when he had called her out earlier before they had taken a bath together on playing games with him because for once in her life she was trying to be honest with him. This wasn't a game, not anymore, it was real and in less than 5 months she'd be bringing another life into this world that they had created with one another.

It was quite a terrifying thought since they didn't have things settled between them. Add in being the mother of soon to be five children instead of four and it was enough to have her ready to run for the hills in retreat to get away from this new responsibility she was going to have to face.

Perhaps that was it, the fear of intimacy which she was claiming she wasn't feeling anymore, but if it was true then surely she wouldn't still be experiencing the impulse to run away from him. If just sitting here trying to share a meal with each other was scaring her then he was right she wasn't ready to hear him say those words to her about him loving her.

He hated it when she got that introspective look upon her face. Right now she was probably hatching some new scheme against him, she was regretting them having sex with one another again or she was trying to find some way out of what she had told him earlier about how she felt about him. Any of those options wouldn't bode well for him.

Honestly her schemes didn't bother him too much since most times because he found her to be highly entertaining with how her mind worked. He had to admit she could arouse him with just a look his way even if it were a disdainful one. Which was what he was trying to decipher without looking at her like he was some lovelorn teenager, god knew he felt like a horny teenager around her.

The sex they had last night and this morning had been scorching hot. While he had never been a sexual relationship before when a woman was pregnant this probably had to abnormal. He'd always thought Samantha was sexy, now she was downright irresistible. It was taking all his might not to shove off the various dishes that were on the table and take her right then and there.

Damn here he was sporting another hard-on for her and it hadn't even been an hour since they had gotten out of the tub with one another. He mentally tried to will it away, surely he could think of something else besides her breasts which looked like they were about to bust out of that cute dress she had put on to wear.

_Look away from her chest, that is sexist_ his mind warned him so he opted to look at her face instead. He saw those pouty lips of hers and it only made it worse because he remembered how she had deep throated him last night in their bed which was something he had never expected her to do for him. That had been incredible.

So much for mentally willing his hard-on away as his member now it felt like it was growing exponentially instead of dissipating. He forced his view away from her lips and finally met her eyes.

He was ready to say the hell with it; he was going to go with his impulse to take her on the table because he had to have her again when she blurted out something that made him stop in his tracks before he ever got up from his seat.

"EJ did you not hear what I was saying to you?" she asked with a slightly miffed look on her face.

_No, I was thinking about jumping your bones at least one more time or two before the kids came home today, especially since you put on that dress and all I have to do is hike it up your body_, his mind was all but screaming at him it almost surprised him that he didn't say the words aloud to her.

He shook his head, trying to clear it from those errant thoughts, "Sorry darling, what did you say?"

"I had looked on my phone and a reminder came up for my doctor's visit on Monday. I can change it though since I was out sick from work yesterday," Sami took her phone and began to scroll her contacts to find the number of her doctor.

"No, doctor visits are priority," EJ exclaimed. "I've told you it wasn't a big deal about you not being at work yesterday."

"It was a big deal to me," Sami retorted. "How many times do I have to say I don't want preferential treatment at the office?"

"How many times do I have to remind you that you being pregnant does trump anything else at the moment?"

Sami rolled her eyes, he was a man of course he didn't understand what she was trying to convey. He didn't have to put up with the comments she heard in passing especially if she ever saw that Amazon personal secretary of his gossiping with her entourage of bitchy women who more times oft than not gave her nasty looks whenever she was in their vicinity.

"Samantha, you do understand that right? You have to take care of yourself and let me help take care of you too."

Sami sighed EJ didn't get it; he didn't understand how she had to work harder than anyone else to prove she deserved to be in the position she was in at DiMera Enterprises. She wasn't going to get anywhere arguing with him about it because he didn't see the nasty looks or hear those disparaging comments made by those women; they were too busy trying to kiss his ass, hoping he would notice them instead.

"Samantha?"

"What?" came her short response back to him, she didn't want to argue with him not really because usually when they argued it got her all hot and bothered and damn if she wasn't thinking about wanting to ride him right now until they both came.

EJ's voice was wistful, "I was hoping you'd allow me to go with you when you went to the doctor. We have gone to all the other appointments together."

The look on his face right now made her want to cry even if he hadn't of said what he had just said to her. Oh god she was such a bitch, of course he'd want to go with her especially after he had told her he had wanted to be involved with every aspect of this pregnancy. She'd shut him out of having that chance with Johnny and Sydney.

She pushed back her chair and walked over to him, "While I can still do this, let me sit in your lap."

_Well there wouldn't be any hiding of his current state of arousal for her even if it had subsided a little bit _he immediately thought as he pushed his chair back away from the table to allow her to sit down in his lap. He instinctively put his arms around her waist as she leaned backwards into his chest.

"I want you to go with me to my doctor's appointment. It's just that I didn't want to miss two consecutive days at work, but you are right, having this baby is my priority, not worrying about what those hags say about me at work."

EJ stiffened up some, "Who is saying things to you at work?"

"EJ it's not to me directly, although I'd have to be deaf not to hear their comments even if I wasn't already starting to show that I'm pregnant. Let's get real I suddenly get the job of director over the cosmetics division and people know we live together even if we don't announce it at work."

"Tell me who they are and they are fired," EJ began only to have Sami chuckle.

"You don't understand how women are, especially to me. I don't have women friends; in fact I don't have friends at all with the exception of Hope and we've only grown closer in the last couple of months."

"You have me too, I'm your friend," EJ pulled her a little closer to him.

Sami smiled wryly; yes she did have him even when she didn't give him much reason to believe in their friendship. "It's not worth naming names; I'm a big girl and can handle anything that is thrown at me."

He kissed her shoulder through the material of her dress even though he wasn't able to touch her skin directly with his lips she could feel it. "I know you can handle anything, but sometimes it would be nice if you needed me."

"I do need you," Sami stated wholeheartedly, her voice so low he could barely hear it. "I need you to go with me because I had almost forgotten we can find out the sex of the baby if we want to know and it's your choice whether we find out or not."

"My choice?" The surprise in his voice was evident and it made Sami really want to cry then when she thought back to all the times she had shut him out of these important decisions.

She shifted so she could look at him as she nodded her head, "Yes, your choice. While I'm not big on surprises if you want to wait until the baby is born to find out if we are having a boy or a girl that is fine with me. You get to decide this time."

His eyes started to fill with tears and he willed them back, it wouldn't do for Sami to think he was some namby pamby who cried at the drop of a hat. Damn, it was like he had these crazy emotional pregnancy hormones that he had been secretly reading about in those books so he would know what was going on with her. He blinked and luckily he didn't feel like he would cry at least not in front of her.

"Thank you," was all he could say at the moment and then he took a deep breath to calm his nerves and continued. "If it wouldn't bother you too terribly I'd like to wait because this is a good surprise Samantha and life doesn't give us many of those to savor."

"All right," Sami agreed with his decision, "but no complaints from you when we have to come up with both boy and girl names to decide upon."

EJ gave her such a smile that if she wasn't already in love with him this would have made her fall for sure. He shifted her around so that she was now fully facing him, "I promise no complaints."

"Good because you better remember this is what you wanted," Sami began only to have him cut her off.

"Oh I want more than that from you Sunshine," EJ started to kiss her fully on the mouth while he reached for the zipper on the back of her dress, ready to show her exactly what else he meant when all of the sudden their kitchen was invaded by the sound of unexpected voices.

"Told you they'd be kissing," Ciara remarked smugly to the twins as Sami did her best to wrench herself away from EJ without falling out of his lap unto the kitchen floor. "You know that is why you are getting a new brother or sister."

Sami blushed multiple shades of red while she attempted to zip her dress back up and whispered furiously to the man whom she had just been kissing. "EJ, a little help here would be nice."

EJ tried his best not to laugh at the scene before him. That Ciara Brady was a little spitfire just like his Samantha. He could almost imagine Samantha saying things like that when she was growing up.

Sami tried to extricate herself again gracefully but it did no good because all the kids were just staring at them and she couldn't contain her laughter when the next words out of Ciara's mouth were, "Sami, can you talk my mom and dad into kissing some more like you and EJ were just doing so that I can get a new brother or sister too?"

"Ciara Alice Brady!" Hope pronounced her daughter's full given name as she heard her daughter asking Sami such a question.

Ciara turned around to face her mother, hand on one hip as she pointed back to Sami and EJ with the other one, "What mom? I really think Sami could give you some pointers. I mean she is on baby number five and I'm tired of being the baby. I want to be a big sister like Allie."

Hope put a hand to her mouth, trying not to let the mortification reflect upon her face. The things her daughter would say in front of anyone, but thank goodness this was family and not some random group of strangers although if they had been strangers she doubted her daughter who have refrained from saying what was on her mind.

Sami finally stood up and pulled down the bottom of her dress from where it had rode up when she was sitting in EJ's lap and felt EJ stand up as well as he deftly zipped up the back of her dress, "Hope, how good to see you."

"Come on, they are going to do boring grown up talk now," Ciara rolled her eyes as she led Johnny, Allie and Sydney out of the kitchen.

"Baby, baby, baby," Sydney began singing in her sweet little voice as they left the room.

While Hope looked like she wished she could suddenly disappear into thin air, EJ and Sami looked at each other thinking they would have some new and interesting stories from the kids since they had spent the night with Ciara last night.


	33. Chapter 33

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XL**

"Hope, thank you for keeping the kids for us last night," Sami smiled in the aftermath of the children leaving the room.

Hope stated, "It was no problem at all. They were so good. Like I had told EJ on the phone when he called, it was nice to have a house full of kids running around."

"Well there is no shortage of that happening here, along with the occasional spats the children get into with each other," and then EJ added, "but those are few and far between."

Hope began to speak, "I am really sorry about what Ciara said when she came in the room…"

Sami went to hug her and after a few brief seconds she pulled back and gave her a reassuring look, "Please don't apologize. We weren't offended."

"It didn't bother us at all. Your Ciara has fire, she kind of reminds me of someone else I know," EJ added as he came behind Sami to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Sami raised an eyebrow as she cocked her head back to look up at EJ, "Bless her heart if you think she reminds you of me."

"Just what I think you may have been like when you were younger."

Hope began to grin, "You may have a point there EJ."

"Ladies, I'll take my leave. I've got a few things I need to check on since I left work in a hurry yesterday. Thank you again Hope for helping us out with the children yesterday. You were an absolute lifesaver."

Sami placed a hand on his arm, "I'll see you in a little while?"

"Most definitely," EJ smiled and leaned in to give her another kiss on the cheek before he left the room as well to give the women some time to talk without him being around.

Hope watched Sami's eyes follow EJ as he walked out of the kitchen. When she was certain EJ was out of earshot she said, "So I take it that EJ is starting to show more interest in you? Although I had a hard time believing when you said he wasn't interested because ever since I have met him he only has eyes for you."

"You really think so Hope?" Sami asked with a tiny tinge of uncertainty in her voice.

"I can't believe you are even asking me that question since it looks like things have certainly changed around here. The other day when we had lunch together you were complaining EJ wasn't paying you any attention, never seemed affectionate enough to even kiss you anymore and what I walked in on was a man who seemed completely love-struck."

Sami lightly blushed, "I know I am smitten even if he hasn't said those three little words to me I want to hear from him."

Hope grabbed Sami's hands and led them to the living room where they could sit down together on the couch and talk, "Oh my goodness, did you finally tell him how you feel?"

Sami nodded her head, "I did, but…"

"But what? That's a huge step in the right direction for your relationship with EJ. I've been urging you all along to be truthful with him over how you feel instead of playing games with him and hedging the truth."

Sami hesitated for a moment, "Hope, he didn't say it back to me. I actually get those words out that I love him and then it was like he immediately started to pull back away from me as soon as I said it."

Hope was quiet for a few seconds before she spoke, "Sami, what did you expect? I mean from what you have told me of your history together along with what I have witnessed myself that is pretty much exactly what you have done each time he has tried to convince you of the love he has felt for you."

"Come on Aunt Hope, whose side on you on?"

"Don't Aunt Hope me," she raised an eyebrow up to her niece. "I'm not taking sides. I'm just trying to be fair and objective."

"Like the day in the pub when you refused to speak ill of EJ and the rest of the DiMera family while we were all dogging him out behind his back," Sami sighed.

"While I wish I could say I never say anything bad about anyone, that isn't the truth, but to me it was obvious even though you were claiming to hate him there was something more to the story. Remember the day you told me how you had done horrible things to people who cared about you, but EJ understood, he knew what it was like to be an outsider, that he was your friend."

"I remember," Sami recalled the day clearly when she had spoken to Hope about EJ, hoping she would be at least one person in their family who had understood the ties she had to EJ.

"You've both gone through so much since that time, more bad than good, so I can understand some hesitation on EJ's part, can't you?"

"Of course I can even if I don't want it to be this way."

Hope reached over and took Sami's hand, "My best advice is to be patient with him. It took you years to come to terms with your feelings for him."

"I'm not a patient person," Sami stated wholeheartedly. "I just wish sometimes things were easier for us, kind of like how things are with you and Bo. You two are just the perfect couple."

Hope began to laugh, "You think Bo and I had it easy in the beginning? Oh sweetie, it took us years to get it right and even then just when I would think yes this is where I want to be with the man that I love more than life itself something else would happen that would test our love for one another. Sometimes I didn't know if we would make it this far, but by the grace of God we have made a life together. A real relationship takes time, trust, effort on both sides, tons of understanding, plenty of laughter and a whole lot of love."

Sami furrowed her brow, "Even times taking the wrong road?"

"If you are meant to be together, no matter how long, rocky and narrow the road may be, it will always lead you back to one another. Have you ever thought fate has led you two along the path you've both taken so far?"

Before Sami could answer her, she felt the baby kick again, this time much stronger than what she had felt the night before when she had been talking to EJ. She smiled and rubbed her stomach, "I think this little one that has yet to be born is trying to get me to agree with you."

Hope smiled, "That's because I'm right. You need to listen to me and that sweet angel. By the way when are you finding out the sex of the baby?"

"We were supposed to tomorrow, but EJ asked if we could wait and be surprised when the baby arrives and I told him it was his decision especially when he hadn't had any input in any of our other children when I was pregnant."

"Wow Sami Brady is growing up, agreeing to wait and be surprised when I know you are dying to find out what the baby is going to be. You've only talked about how you wanted to know for the past two months."

"Maybe I am growing up," Sami shrugged her shoulders, "then again this is going to kill me not knowing."

"Well I'm going to stay mum about what I think the baby will be too because I've had a feeling for a while. I had this crazy dream about you and the baby and ever since then I've been sure of what you are going to have."

"Hope, please don't tease me. You need to tell me what you think."

Hope shook her head, "I'm not saying a word. We'll just all be surprised together when the baby is born."

"Did EJ put you up to saying something like this to me?"

Hope made a motion of zipping her lips, "Not saying a word Sami."

"You really do like EJ, don't you?"

"I'm agreeing with Caroline, while there have been times his behavior hasn't been what it should be, one thing no one can deny is how much he loves his children."

Sami smiled, "He does love them and he makes no difference about Allie either."

"Plus we think he's been in love with you all along, so at least he's won over two of the Brady clan, make that three because Ciara says EJ is dreamy."

"I wish the rest of the family would give EJ a chance."

"I've got an idea, how about next weekend, we all go on a picnic."

Sami's eyes grew wide, "Surely you don't mean our entire Brady clan?"

"No, even if I am an optimist, Rome wasn't built in a day, but I was thinking more along the lines of one Brady at a time."

"Who?"

"Bo of course, he will do anything I want him to do."

Sami gave her a dubious look, "Hope, Bo despises EJ."

"We just have to get them all to spend time together and next Saturday will be a good start."

"Are you not going to tell Bo we are coming on this picnic?"

"Just trust me I have ways to make Bo do things he swears he would never do."

"Okay, should I tell EJ or just surprise him?"

"That's up to you, but I think you should prepare him."

"Are you telling Bo?"

"Guess you'll just have to find out next Saturday," Hope gave Sami a mischievous grin. "Before Ciara and I leave, are we still on for Wednesday lunch?"

"Yes, same time, same place?"

"Brady Pub around noon," Hope arose to call Ciara to come on since they needed to be leaving.

Sami hugged Hope goodbye, "See you Wednesday."

"See you then," Hope returned the hug and then headed off with Ciara.

Sami smiled; glad she had Hope to talk to about things going on in their lives. It was nice to have a woman friend, something she hadn't had in years.

She didn't think she would see Hope before Wednesday until Tuesday afternoon she got a call from the school telling her that she and EJ needed to come in immediately for a parent teacher conference. Apparently her children along with Ciara were about to be expelled from school and they needed to come right away to get the situation resolved.


	34. Chapter 34

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XLI**

By the time EJ and Sami made it into the office at St. Luke's they were both worried over what had transpired at their children's school for them to be receiving a call about an immediate parent teacher conference. Sami recalled the many times she had been in trouble at school growing up, but so far she had escaped anything like this happening where she was the parent of the child that was in trouble.

EJ squeezed her hand gently hoping to reassure her while they walked down the hallway before they entered the designated room, "I'm sure it isn't too bad. Don't worry Samantha."

Sami recalled the many times she had to see her parent's disappointed faces when another scheme of hers had blown up in her face and turned out badly for her. "I'm guessing your parents were never called over your bad behavior at school?"

A flash of pain momentarily crossed his face, "I had to face any kind of punishment like this alone. It's kind of difficult for your parents to be present to speak to the head master when you are hundreds of miles away at boarding school."

Then it was Sami's turn to squeeze his hand, "I'm sorry you had to face those kinds of things alone."

EJ shrugged his shoulders, "Just a result of my choosing to go with my father instead of continuing to live with my mother and Edmund. Once I had made the decision to go with Stefano there was no turning back."

Another tiny insight he was giving her into his life before he came to Salem, something he rarely ever spoke of with her, but she planned to rectify that situation because now she wanted to know everything about him. She wanted to know all the things that had shaped him into the man he was today.

"Well you're not alone now," she simply said as she gave him a smile, "and our children won't ever be sent away to boarding school. We are a family that sticks together."

EJ felt the love he had for this woman growing even more with those words she had spoken. There was no way she could know how much it meant for him to be a part of a family, to feel like he really belonged, but now wasn't the time to tell her those things. They had to go speak to her brother about Johnny and Allie.

He opened the door for Sami to enter the room before him and was surprised to also see Bo and Hope already seated in the room. More importantly though was the presence of the three children sitting on a bench together.

Well if looking at their faces was any indication of what may have happened it was a mixed bag for the group of parents to decipher. Ciara sat there looking defiant, Johnny appeared to be really angry and Allie was struggling to wipe away the tears from her eyes.

Eric gestured for EJ and Sami to sit in the other two vacant chairs that were in his office. "I'm sorry I had to call you all in here today, but we had an incident at the playground during recess and I had to address the situation after Sister Mary Margaret came to me all harried over what had happened."

Ciara blurted out before Eric could continue, "She wouldn't even let us explain what happened. I don't know why only Johnny, Allie and I were called in here when it was Chase and Courtney's fault over what happened anyway."

"Chase and Courtney will be in here later with their parents too," Eric stated only to have Ciara and Johnny both give out loud sighs of exasperation, Allie for her part would only look down at the floor.

Hope looked over at her daughter, "Ciara darling, this isn't a time for you to be speaking."

"Oh yes it is, no one is going to talk bad about my family and get away with it. Father Eric this is so unfair."

Ciara rose to get off the bench, but one stern look from her father made her think better of it and she sat back down beside Johnny, "Ciara you will be respectful and not talk back to Father Eric, the nuns or any adult. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Daddy, but you've always told us to stand up for our family and that was what I was doing along with Johnny. No one is going to make Allie cry and get away with it."

With the mention of Allie crying from Ciara that was all it took for Allie to really begin crying hard again.

EJ couldn't stand to see Allie's tears, "Come here sweet girl, please don't cry."

Allie looked up at Father Eric and he nodded she could get up from the bench, she immediately went to sit in EJ's lap and leaned back against him still crying as he held her.

Sami opted not to call her twin brother Father Eric instead just using his name when she addressed him. "Eric, you better tell me what happened to get Allie so upset."

"I've been trying to figure it out myself for the past hour before you all arrived. I'm getting one story from Ciara and Johnny and another completely different one from Chase and Courtney. That was the reason I wanted to call you in to see if you could all help me find out the cause of the animosity between the children. I thought they might explain things better with you all present."

Johnny spoke up, "Daddy Chase said some bad things about our family. He said his dad said he couldn't play with me because I'm a DiMera and we're all terrible."

"You know that's not true Johnny," Sami began only to have Ciara interrupt her.

"Sami, that isn't all then Courtney tells Allie she is lying about having a new baby brother or sister soon since she and Johnny aren't really twins because they don't have the same daddy. She made her cry and Johnny and I weren't going to let them trash talk our family."

"So you decided to take matters into your own hands?" Bo asked as it was starting to make more sense over why Ciara and Johnny's uniforms were both torn in certain places.

"Daddy, I tried to take it and just ignore them because they are both brats, but when Courtney spouted off that EJ and Sami were living in sin if they weren't married and having a baby then I just had to punch her in the mouth."

Johnny added, "When Chase kicked Ciara back for punching Courtney I jumped on his back and knocked him to the ground and Ciara yelled at them and told them to apologize to Allie for making her cry."

"After Courtney got back up from the ground, she called me a flat out liar and I slapped her," Allie started crying again. "Mom I don't tell lies especially about our family. They were so mean. I know I shouldn't have slapped her, but she wouldn't stop saying those awful things."

"You should have slapped her again," Ciara commented.

"Ciara, we do not promote violence in our family," Hope tried to explain only to have her daughter shake her head.

"I'm not apologizing to them even if Father Eric says it is the right thing to do."

"I'm not either," Johnny stated heatedly. "We're blood brothers and sisters now and no one is messing with us."

Bo looked over at Johnny and Ciara with a curious expression, but before he could ask about it Ciara explained, "Friday night we stuck our fingers with a straight pin and did the ritual so we're all blood brothers and sisters. Even Sydney let us stick her finger and she didn't even cry when we did it."

Sami and Hope exchanged glances and it was apparent they were both trying not to laugh because their children were so serious about it.

"Daddy, I don't have to apologize to wimpy Chase and crybaby Courtney, do I? They deserved what was coming to them for saying those things to us. Courtney was especially ugly to Allie telling her that EJ wasn't her daddy and he is her daddy just like Lucas is, isn't he?"

Allie looked up at EJ with tears in her eyes threatening to fall once more, "You always tell me you love me just like Johnny and Sydney. I'm your daughter too, aren't I?"

EJ hugged Allie close to him, "Of course you are my daughter in every way that counts. I love you the same as Johnny and Sydney. From the first moment I saw you in the nursery at the hospital you had my heart. I know you don't remember it but one night when you were a baby you were sick and I sat up with you all night in a rocking chair, just you and me. I will always love you and take care of you sweet girl. No matter what anyone says they can't change how much I love you ever. You will always be my daughter."

"I love you daddy EJ," Allie wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you too, always and forever," EJ hugged her close to him.

Listening to them talk made Sami start to cry thinking of all the times she had threatened him and actually took the children away from EJ vowing he wouldn't get to be around them. Seeing how much EJ made no difference with the children only endeared her even more to him. How could she have been so blind to how much he could love if only given the chance?

Ciara started talking again to break the silence and hopefully lighten up the mood; there was too much crying going on for her liking. "See Father Eric, those kids shouldn't have said anything to Allie."

Bo reached out his hands to bring Ciara to sit in his lap as well, "Ciara, you can't go around acting like a ninja."

"But it was so much fun Daddy. Courtney dropped like a rock as soon as I punched her and Johnny had Chase on the ground crying like a baby. It was awesome! I even got my uniform torn and Johnny did too while we were fighting. I bet from now on no one is going to mess with us on the playground because we are bad a…"

"Not another word Ciara," Hope intervened before Ciara said a cuss word in front of everyone, especially Father Eric.

"Father Eric, are we suspended from school?" Johnny asked hopefully, he would like a few days off from school to play video games.

Eric dashed Johnny's hopes of not having to go to school immediately. "I think we can let this incident be a reminder that even when people say or do things to hurt us we need to be able to find it in our hearts to forgive one another. How about you all go home with your parents this afternoon and after I talk with Chase and Courtney and their parent's next that tomorrow morning, you, Ciara, Allie, Chase and Courtney all have a talk with one another on the importance of respecting each other and the power of forgiveness."

Ciara asked, "How about Sister Mary Margaret calling us all heathens for fighting? Does she have to say she is sorry to us too?"

Hope raised her eyes to the ceiling, only imagining what Ciara's teenage years would be like if she was this feisty at her current age. Once again she met Sami's eyes and they exchanged another knowing glance, Sami knew exactly what she was thinking because it sounded like something she would have said when she was Ciara's age.

Oh Bo and Hope were in for an interesting time indeed.


	35. Chapter 35

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XLII**

Everyone had gotten up and was in the process of leaving Father Eric's office when he asked Sami to stay for a few minutes longer if she had the time to spare. Sami looked over at EJ who was holding Allie's hand in one of his with Johnny holding the other.

"We'll go on to the car," EJ stated as he headed out the door as Sami nodded her head with a smile and then turned back to face her brother as she sat back down in the chair she had been sitting in during the parent conference.

As soon as they left Sami said, "Okay let me have it. Tell me what a bad parent I am for not being upset that my children stood up for each other."

"I wasn't going to say anything of the sort," Eric began only to have Sami give him a look of doubt. "Really I wasn't Sami. I don't think you are a bad parent in any way shape or form."

"Then what did you want to say to me that you didn't want to say in front of the others?"

"I wanted to apologize for what those children said on the playground to Allie. It was cruel and I hated how much it upset her, but I have to be impartial to all the students."

"Eric, I understand and you don't have to apologize. If anything it only makes the facts hit home that my questionable lifestyle has and is affecting my children. I've seen it with Will firsthand, but I thought with the twins and Sydney they wouldn't have to bear the brunt of my actions too."

Eric arose from behind the desk and came to sit on the edge of it so that he could take Sami's hands in his, "For you to be blaming yourself for some callous words spoken on a playground is not your fault either."

Sami shook her head, "You always did try to make me feel better about myself, but let's face it Eric. My choices affect more than just me. Now my children have to hear what their parents supposedly think about me."

"You have never cared what anyone else thinks…"

Sami snorted, "If only that were true."

"I think you are a great parent and I'm proud of you."

"Why would you be proud of me? Remember I'm the screwed up twin, the one you've always had to shrug your shoulders over saying well that is typical Sami behavior."

"I'm not shrugging in embarrassment especially not over your actions of late."

"Like my getting pregnant out of wedlock once again, shacking up with the baby daddy and having the rest of my family beyond you, Grandma and Hope giving me a wide berth if I ever chose to darken the door with my unwelcome presence? No wonder the entire town of Salem thinks I'm a whore."

Eric shook his head, "I only wish I could live my life like you do rushing out to greet it come what may instead of being too afraid to take those amazing leaps of faith."

Sami reached up to touch her twin's forehead as if she were checking to see if he had a fever, "Are you coming down with something? You are the best person I've ever known. You lead an exemplary life."

"You need to take off those rose colored glasses where I am concerned. You're not afraid to live your life whereas I, well let's just say my hesitation to embrace the unknown sometimes makes me wish for something different."

To hear her brother speak so candidly over his regrets was eye opening. "Are you saying you have doubts about your chosen vocation? I thought you loved being a priest."

Eric nodded his head, "I do love being a priest, but I have doubts and regrets. Doesn't everyone have them somewhere down the road?"

"I have enough regrets for both of us combined."

"Are you regretting your decision to be with EJ?"

Sami immediately shook her head no. "Being with EJ is one of the few things I think I've finally done right even if he won't tell me he loves me."

"Oh Sami, as much as I hate to admit it, EJ DiMera loves you. Can't you see it? It's clearly written all over his face."

"You're seeing things; he hasn't asked me to marry him. We are living in sin as those children told Allie."

"While that part may look like it to most outside of your relationship with him, EJ loves you and the children."

"I have no doubt he loves the children, but I've hurt him terribly over the years. No wonder he is afraid to commit to me."

"Then you have to help him overcome his fears. You have to show him each and every day how much you love him, how much he means to you and your family."

Sami looked up at the ceiling and then around the room, "Are you punking me? I am not here in your office with you encouraging me to share my life with the likes of a DiMera."

Eric began to laugh, "Definitely not punking you baby sister."

"I'm older than you, four minutes to be exact."

"You've got your facts mixed up I'm the eldest and as your elder I know what I am talking about. Just open up your heart to the man and I believe you will be amazed with the results."

"I'm trying, but I'm scared Eric…"

"And you wonder why he is hesitant to commit to you?"

Sami's phone beeped letting her know she was receiving a text message, she took her phone out of her pocketbook and read the text.

"I have to answer this text. It will only take me a minute or two at most."

Eric walked away and went to sit at his desk again to give his sister some privacy.

_Taking the kids to the pub for ice cream, meet us there when you finish up confession time with Father Eric._

Sami rolled her eyes; of course EJ would refer to Eric as Father Eric. The man was such a smartass; it was like she could hear his voice inside her head saying the words. She quickly typed back a reply.

_Will be there shortly, apparently my confessions are pretty good material since it is taking some time for Eric to give me absolution for my many, many sins._

It only took seconds for him to respond.

_Well since we are apparently living in sin can we commit some questionable acts later on tonight after the children are asleep?_

Sami blushed; glad her twin brother couldn't read what was on the screen of her phone.

_I'll think about it if you are really good._

Another bing from her phone.

_I was hoping we could make Santa's naughty list instead. I have a few things in mind you might like._

She jotted off a quick response.

_Shut up I'm in church._

Ding.

_The things I want to do to you will probably have you going back to confession tomorrow, but you might want to disguise your voice in the confessional so that your brother doesn't realize we are having sex with one another._

She shook her head. The man was incorrigible and she was in completely in love with him and his devious ways.

Before she could respond he had sent her another text.

_So is that a yes, no or maybe about the uninhibited sexual escapades for tonight?_

She rolled her eyes, not letting him think he could so easily sway her with the promises of such things from him.

_Maybe_

Ding

_You know you want to go to confession tomorrow after I have my wicked way with you, say yes._

That man could make her agree to things she shouldn't.

_You win, yes, yes, yes!_

She could just imagine him smiling over this last text she sent to him, she knew she was smiling over his antics.

_Does this imply you are expecting triple orgasms because rest assured if that is what you want…_

Eric interrupted her thoughts of what she and EJ might do later on tonight.

"Sami, unless you want to see Chase and Courtney's parents you may need to head on out. They should be here within a few minutes."

"They don't want to see me," Sami stated as she stood up and went over to give her brother Eric a hug goodbye. "I might smack them down like Ciara did their children."

Eric was on the verge of laughing just imaging his sister going all ninja on the parents like Ciara had done earlier.

"Be on your way. No violence allowed on school premises."

"Yes Father Eric. I'll be a good girl. You don't have to rap my knuckles with the ruler."

"Good. Think about what I said earlier; open up your heart Sami. I don't think you'll regret it."

Sami smiled and nodded her head, "I don't think I will either. Love you."

"Love you too."

She walked out of Eric's office with a huge smile of her face. She was going to take Eric's advice.

EJ DiMera better be prepared he was about to see firsthand how much love she was going to shower upon him. Before she was finished with him he would know without a doubt she loved him.

Time to take that leap of faith into the unknown she was sure of it.


	36. Chapter 36

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XLIII**

The twins were eating ice cream Caroline had brought to them and Johnny was acting goofy trying to get Allie to smile even though she still looked upset. EJ had been lost in thought momentarily while he was texting Sami and failed to notice Caroline had come up right behind him.

It was apparent she had caught him off guard when he dropped his phone onto the floor. He hastily went to retrieve it or no doubt he would have some explaining to do to Samantha's grandmother over what kind of messages he was sending her granddaughter.

"EJ, I didn't mean to startle you," Caroline said as she looked over fondly at the twins, noticing Johnny had already demolished the ice cream in his bowl, while Allie was just taking her spoon and swirling it around, not really eating anything of the treat she had given them both when they had come into the pub with EJ.

EJ put his phone into his inside pocket of his jacket before he gave Samantha's grandmother a smile, thankful she hadn't seen anything on his telephone screen. Caroline was one of the few Brady's that EJ actually cared about their opinion of him and he didn't ever want her to disapprove of his actions now that she finally seemed to genuinely like him.

EJ stood up from where he was sitting and offered a chair to Caroline, which she readily took and then he sat back down beside her, giving her a smile, "Sorry my mind was elsewhere for a few minutes."

"No need to explain to me although I am a little bit curious as to what the children are doing already out of school. Doesn't school get out at 3 pm?"

Allie nodded her head, "Yes ma'am." Then she quickly looked back down at her bowl of uneaten ice cream so as not to meet her great grandmother's eyes.

"Grandma, we got in a fight at school today!" Johnny explained with excitement in his voice, not one bit ashamed of the fact at all.

Caroline's eyebrows raised as she looked at the twins, Johnny was happy while Allie looked like she was about to begin crying. Before saying anything to either of her great grandchildren she turned to EJ.

EJ didn't want to have to explain this to Caroline especially with Allie on the verge of tears again, he had thought bringing them to the pub might put a smile on Allie's face, but it hadn't and now he was afraid of what either one of the children might say. Before he could come up with anything his son decided to offer up more on the subject to his great grandmother.

"Grandma, you should have seen it, Ciara and I were making those kids sorry for saying those mean things to Allie. They won't talk bad about our family anymore around us or we will kick some…"

"Johnny, I think we may need to discuss other strategies for dealing with the ignorance of others besides violence," EJ began to say when Samantha came in the door and he breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he would have her with him instead of trying to come up with some suitable explanation all on his own.

EJ excused himself from the table to greet Samantha at the door. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "Thank god you are here. I'm afraid Johnny is about to launch into a play by play to your grandmother over the fight on the playground at school."

"Hey mom, we got ice cream!" Johnny called out as his parents approached the table.

"I see," Sami smiled as she took at seat after giving her grandmother a kiss on the cheek in greeting.

"Johnny was about to tell me why they weren't in school when you arrived," Caroline said trying not to laugh when she say the anxious looks between Sami and EJ.

Johnny was oblivious over why this would embarrass anyone and reached over to his sister, "Allie, if you aren't going to eat your ice cream, can I have yours?"

Allie was about to push her bowl over to Johnny when Sami intercepted it, "One bowl of ice cream is enough."

"I don't want mine anyway," Allie dropped her spoon into the ice cream that was already beginning to melt.

"See Mom, Allie doesn't want hers," Johnny stated as he tried to reach for Allie's discarded bowl, but EJ stopped him by reaching over to get the bowl before he could grab it.

"Your mother said one bowl," EJ took the bowl and placed it in front of him instead.

"I bet if Sydney was here and wanted another bowl of ice cream she would get it," Johnny claimed as his father gave him a look that made him stop from saying anything more.

Allie leaned over to rest against her mother, "Mom can we go home?"

Sami nodded her head, "Sure thing sweetie. Let's give Grandmother Caroline a hug and a kiss and we will be on our way."

Allie nodded her head dutifully while Johnny was miffed he wasn't going to get anymore ice cream since it was one of his favorites. He couldn't believe Allie let almost all of hers go to waste and he couldn't get what was left of her treat. He got up first to give his grandmother a kiss.

"Catch ya later Grandma, I'll tell you all about the fight another time. Maybe the next time we come to the pub Ciara can come too and we can reenact it all out for you to see," Johnny gave Caroline a big hug and then turned for the door ready to head out.

Allie went to Caroline and gave her a big hug and a kiss, "I love you Grandma."

"I love you too," Caroline gave Allie an extra big hug.

Johnny was impatient to go since he wasn't going to get his way and be able to eat any more ice cream. "Allie, come on. I'll race you to the car."

"No racing Johnny, you have to pay attention where you are going so you don't run into people." Sami said which earned her another huge sigh from Johnny.

"You people never want me to have any fun," Johnny said as he came over to grab Allie by the hand.

"Johnny, you do not address your family as you people," EJ began which made Johnny immediately apologize to his mother before his daddy got really mad at him.

"Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. Let's **walk** to the car Allie."

"I'll go out with them to make sure they both walk to the car while you pay Grandma for the ice cream," Sami said as she gave her grandmother a small wave of her hand and rushed out after the twins and giving her an out of not having to get into the details of what had happened to the twins today at school.

EJ got up from his chair and went to pull back Caroline's for her so that she was able to get up from the table as well. He was reaching for his wallet when Caroline put up her hand in refusal to take any kind of payment from him.

"This one's on the house, it looks like the kids had a difficult afternoon."

"Caroline, I don't want to take advantage of your generosity, please allow me to pay," EJ took out few bills from his wallet only to have Caroline shoo him away.

"I don't want your money EJ, please put it away. I don't think two bowls of ice cream for my grandchildren are going to break the bank."

EJ reluctantly placed the bills back into his wallet. "Thank you Caroline."

"You are welcome and I just wanted to tell you that I think you and Sami are doing a great job with the children. Things like fights at school happen, I should know while my girls weren't ones to get into trouble and Roman was more serious than all of the rest of my children combined, my Bo was a scrapper."

"You think we are doing a good job raising our children?"

"Yes, raising a family is hard work, it takes a lot of love, loads of patience and plenty of laughter especially when you have a big family and yours is growing. Within six months time you'll already have another little one to add to the mix."

EJ smiled proudly, "I can't wait for the new baby to arrive. We are going to let it be a surprise as to what we are having this time around."

Caroline gave EJ a big smile and patted him lightly on the chest, "Surprises like those are good ones to anticipate. You're a good man EJ DiMera."

"Are you certain the walls of this place aren't going to come crashing down? I'm not a good person. I'm far from it."

The shock of her statement must have shown on his face when she chuckled softly, "Don't you know to respect your elders? By the way that's not the Alzheimer's talking either. I know what I am saying; well at least I do on most days."

EJ asked hesitantly, "May I give you a hug Caroline?"

"I'd be upset if you didn't. I mean you are going to be my new grandson, soon aren't you?"

EJ was at a loss for words, he never expected Caroline to accept him like she had done, especially with his and Samantha's turbulent past history not to mention him being a DiMera.

"I know you love my granddaughter, have loved her for years and you love your children, all of her children like your own as well. Don't you think it is past time you made an honest woman of her?"

"It's complicated Caroline," EJ began to explain when she took him by both arms and looked straight into his face.

"True Love is complicated and messy and sometimes even heartbreaking, but the joy you experience far outweighs all those other things."

EJ nodded his head, "The price of joy is sometimes very steep."

"The best in life also comes with great pain. You just have to decide if you're willing to take the chance on having a love that only comes around once in a lifetime if you are lucky enough to find that special person. EJ, the question is are you willing to risk it?"

EJ was quiet he really didn't know how to answer her question. Was he willing to risk having the possibility of Samantha breaking his heart all over again if things didn't work out between them this time around? "Caroline, I wish I could give you a definitive answer and say yes without reservation, but honestly I can't do it right at this moment."

"I see you have a lot to think about, just realize while Sami puts up that front of being strong all the time, you have to see that on the inside she is as fragile as Allie was sitting here in the pub this afternoon fighting to hold back her tears. My granddaughter never has felt like she deserved to be loved, that is why she fights so hard to maintain distance with almost all of us. While I wish I could say I don't understand why she feels that way I know our family has put some unrealistic expectations upon her."

"Samantha is the most incredible person I have ever met," EJ began ready to start listing her attributes and then stopped when Caroline started grinning at him. "I guess you already know all that about her though."

"EJ DiMera, you need to let her know how remarkable she is, how much you need her and most importantly how much you love her. If you do I think you'll be amazed by the woman who will emerge, the woman who doesn't let anyone see that part of her."

"I'm in awe of her now."

"Then quit playing games with her."

"I'm not…"

"Oh please EJ, if you believe you are both not playing games anymore, then decide what you want and tell her, either way so that you don't confuse your children."

"Go for broke? Just lay it all out there on the line for her even if she doesn't want me to make an honest woman out of her like you claim I need to do?"

"From where I see things you should either give it your all or throw in the towel and walk away from her before either one of you hurt each other again or god forbid you hurt these precious children in the crossfire. Why would you want to settle for anything less? You're never going to know for sure unless you are completely honest with her."

"If I do ask her to marry me again, do I have your blessing?"

"Mine and Shawn's, god rest his soul, he always wanted Sami to be happy and I hate that he never got to see it while he was here on this earth."

"You still miss him terribly don't you?"

"Every day, he was the love of my life. I was one of the lucky ones. I'm hoping you will be too."

EJ leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Caroline. You've given me a lot to think about."

Caroline watched EJ leave the pub and lifted her eyes up to the ceiling and spoke to her deceased husband, "Shawn you think I did the right thing by telling him what I did?"

It was quiet in the pub for a minute, maybe more and then she heard a faint sound of a bell tinkling from far away. She smiled to herself before saying, "Yes, I think I did too."


	37. Chapter 37

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XLIV**

EJ found Sami and the twins waiting on him at the car and while he could tell Sami was dying to ask him what had taken him so long she refrained from speaking of it.

"We need to go pick up Sydney," Sami reminded EJ after they were all settled in the car.

"Can't forget my little princess," EJ stated as he glanced in the rear view mirror and caught a glimpse of Allie looking out the window, the sadness still lingering on her face.

The thought of those horrid children saying those things to upset her made him want to drive back to the school and confront their parents, but he knew that wasn't what he should do. While he was sure he might momentarily feel better he didn't want to do anything to make his children have a harder time growing up than apparently they already were at the moment.

When it had just been him and Samantha it had been easier not to think of the consequences of their actions. Now they had a family together and a new baby on the way and if he were being truly honest with himself about it, he wanted more children with Samantha in the future. He had always wanted a big family and while he had come to have several half brothers and sisters on his father's side of the family he had missed out on so much since he hadn't come to know them until he had reached adulthood.

Johnny broke into his thoughts by asking the question, "Daddy why was Courtney telling Allie we were living in sin? I think we have a pretty cool house to live in with each other."

EJ and Sami exchanged glances to each other wondering which one would offer up the explanation to Johnny when Allie turned back to look at her brother and said quietly, "Johnny. Mom and EJ aren't married to each other that's why she was saying it to me."

Before Sami and EJ had to come up with a reason over why they weren't married yet Johnny saved them from talking about something neither one of them were quite ready to discuss with each other, much less their children.

"Oh, well that's not any of her business," Johnny replied thinking that should solve it, but he guessed this was bothering his sister more than it was to him. Sometimes girls were too sensitive, well most of them were besides Ciara who he thought could fight almost as good as he could against those bullies on the playground today.

"You're right Johnny, it isn't any of her business," Sami started to agree with him only to have Allie look away from her brother and stare back out the window, her form seeming to shrink even more as she pressed her forehead to the window.

Allie's voice was small, "Doesn't mean it hurts any less."

That sentiment struck a chord deep within Sami, so many things people had said to her over the years she could recall with distinct clarity. She didn't want her daughter to have those kinds of emotional scars within her as well.

Johnny reached over to Allie, "Hey if it takes it I will make sure she doesn't say anything else to you. You know Ciara and I will always have your back."

It was like Johnny hadn't even said anything though as Allie continued, "I thought Courtney was my friend and then she kept saying those awful things to me. Each thing was worse than the one before."

Sami felt a fury grow inside her, damn those brats for picking on her daughter, the one who took things to heart so much more than the rest of her children. Allie was her thoughtful child, the one who put her siblings first, the child who made things that Sami treasured because she knew firsthand how much time and effort she put into those handmade gifts she gave wholeheartedly.

EJ could see Sami's face darken and he reached over to grab her hand, pulling her attention back to him momentarily. He shook his head and she instantly knew what he was thinking that they didn't need to say things in the heat of anger in front of the children.

She nodded her head in silent agreement and didn't say anything as they arrived at the pre-K and nursery school Sydney attended. Before Sami got out of the car to go pick up Sydney though EJ turned around to face the twins.

"Allie, when we arrive home, will you take care of Sydney for your mom and me for a few minutes? We need to have a talk with one another privately about several things and then tonight after dinner we can have game night, your choice of game."

Allie turned her sad eyes to EJ. "Yes sir, I will look after Sydney for you and Mom."

"I'll help too Dad," Johnny added and for once he wasn't complaining that his twin sister was going to be the one who got to pick the game they played. He didn't want Allie to be upset anymore.

"Thank you Johnny. I knew I could count on you both," EJ gave his children a smile; and then turned to Sami and gave her a wink.

Sami wasn't quite sure what he wanted to talk to her about, but she wasn't going to question him in front of the children after the afternoon they had already encountered at school. She offered to go inside to get Sydney and then left the car, hoping whatever it was EJ needed to specifically talk to her about it was going to be something positive even if her mind was a jumbled mess of emotions.

This parenting thing was a difficult job sometimes and today was a prime example of it.


	38. Chapter 38

**Whatcha Say**

**Part LXV**

Sydney seemed to help liven up the mood as soon as Sami settled her into the car, placing her in between Johnny and Allie. She sang a song she had learned in pre-k today, one the twins seemed to know, but no one corrected her when she jumbled up the words to make a completely different version of the song.

Sami thought Sydney was probably going to be her child who picked up on the happier aspects of life instead of focusing on the bad things. She guessed part of that was due to the fact she had survived such drastic changes from her birth and even though she might have been scarred by circumstances, she seemed to roll with the flow, accepting whatever was happening as the norm rather than the out of the ordinary as Sami something considered.

Then again as the form of EJ driving the car caught her eye, she had to say the man couldn't ever be considered ordinary. No EJ DiMera was larger than life and his children loved him without any reservation on their part, even Allie. In turn she knew he loved them fiercely, none of the inhabitants of the back seat of this car had to ever doubt his love.

Not her though, she doubted that his unconditional love extended to her especially after all the things they had done to one another over the years. Then again from early on in her life she had always felt like she had to prove herself worthy to be loved. Sadly she knew she had always come up lacking with her family, the mostly terrible choices she had made over the years since adulthood with the men in her life and even with her eldest son Will sometimes, but luckily at least Johnny, Allie and Sydney did not fall into that category.

She felt a flutter from inside her body and smiled serenely thinking the baby that had yet to make its appearance in their family wanted to let her know that she needed to include either she or him in the unconditional love column for her as well.

EJ had noted how quiet Samantha had become as they listened to Sydney sing in her sweet voice. The woman who sat beside him was somewhat of a paradox to him. Just when he believed he understood and knew her completely a new aspect of her personality would pop up and in turn throw him woefully off course.

Her profile as she looked out the window almost mirrored Allie's with the exception that suddenly he had seen the curve of a smile form on Samantha's face and one of her hands was currently residing on the faint outline of the baby bump that she had now.

He pondered if the baby was kicking like Samantha had claimed occurred the night last week before they had finally made love again. While he hadn't returned those words when she had finally admitted to him of her love for him, in his heart he knew they had made love. Sure at first when they had been secretly having rendezvous with one another after she had confronted him at the mansion, it had been straight up sex, an assuaging of the ever present sexual tension they had for one another since the first time they had met. Now it had evolved to another level entirely with them.

She hadn't said anything else to him about the baby kicking again, but the look of wonderment that had suddenly overcame her features had to mean something. He even had to say something to her about them arriving home because suddenly she had been lost in her own little world even with all of them around her.

She shrugged her shoulders and gave him a self deprecating smile and exited the car with the rest of them. They situated the children in the house, Allie even perking up somewhat over Sydney's enthusiasm that her older sister and brother were going to play baby dolls with her.

Sami stood back for a moment listening to her children's voices, proud that even Johnny was being a good sport and taking a proffered doll from Sydney even though he warned Allie she better not say anything to a soul about him agreeing to play this particular game with Sydney.

Suddenly she felt EJ tug on her hand, drawing her away from watching them play and he led her up to their bedroom, closing the door behind them which instantly blocked out the noises of the children playing downstairs.

"Well I guess you know what we have to do now," EJ began after they had set down together on the chaise lounge chair EJ had bought for Sami when they had purchased the furniture for the house.

Sami eyed him curiously, "Head back to the school and go all DiMera on Chase and Courtney's parents?"

EJ shook his head, "Go all DiMera? What are you suggesting I take out a hit on them?"

"We wouldn't have to go to that extreme yet, just scare them instead. You know you can be pretty intimidating when you want to be."

"Do I intimidate you?"

Sami rolled her eyes, "Of course not, I know it's all an act. Most of your family seem to thrive on the ability to make people believe they will do whatever it takes to get their way, yet you are different. You might get angry with me sometimes, but I know you wouldn't try to force me to do something I didn't want to do, at least not anymore."

"Okay, I'm glad we got that out of the way, but I wasn't suggesting we go off on those kids parents or scare the hell out of them, just because I am a DiMera."

"Damn, that kind of would be fun," Sami stated with a sigh. "So if we aren't going back to the school and take care of those mean kids parents what do we have to do?"

"Samantha, we have to get married."

"Married, as in we get married to one another?"

"Do you see anyone else in the room with us?"

Sami looked around the room before turning back to face EJ, "Why specifically do we need to get married this time around?"

"For the children, for this baby that is coming into the world soon," EJ said each word succinctly. Had Samantha went daft in the time it had taken them to drive home from the pub this afternoon?

Sami frowned and EJ felt his heart drop, while he had thought she would be happy about this, especially since she had said she loved him the other night, right now in this moment she appeared to be on the cusp of hitting him instead of agreeing with his suggestion they get married.

It took a few minutes of uncomfortable silence between while Samantha gazed at him like he was a specimen under a microscope before finally she spoke. "While I've had several proposals of marriage over the years, I have to say this is the most unromantic one I've ever received and that is saying a lot."

"What did you expect me to do Samantha? Get down on one knee and ask for your hand in marriage? Been there, done that and yet somehow it wasn't good enough for you. In case you have forgotten you turned me down that particular time."

"I realize I've disappointed you over the years…"

EJ shifted away from his spot sitting close to her and stood up while he began pacing the room, "You think? I really don't know what you want from me Samantha."

Not to be left alone where he could turn away from her Sami arose and stopped EJ from pacing the room by grabbing his arm, making him look at her. "I want you to want to marry me because you love me and can't live without me. That you need me in your life because you love me and want us to spend the rest of our lives together."

"Damn it Samantha, you always make things so difficult."

"If loving me is something you would consider a chore than I'm giving you a hell no on the worst proposal ever and that is saying a lot considering Ra…"

EJ interrupted her, "Don't say any of their names aloud, in our bedroom of all places."

Sami swept her arms wide across the room, "Yes, this is our bedroom. The place where you told me long ago there is an honesty in this place where I couldn't hide or run from if I only allowed it to happen. Well guess what? I'm finally allowing it to happen; this is the honest to god truth from me for you. EJ, I love you, I'm having your baby, I've had your other children, but if you don't feel the same way about me, then don't waste my time playing mind games with me like I'm some kind of pawn for you like your father is famous for doing."

"I'm nothing like my father," EJ stated heatedly.

Sami softened her voice and raised a hand to his cheek, "I know you're not EJ. It's taken me years to trust you and now I'm trusting you with the one thing I'm most afraid of giving to you. My heart, it's yours if you want it, but if you don't then please let's just walk away from this while we still can."

"You can walk away from me?"

Sami shook her head as tears started to fill in her eyes, "I don't ever want to walk away from you again EJ."

"Then please don't," he pleaded with her.

"If you don't love me, if you only want to marry me to give this baby your last name, if the reason why you want to be married is only for the sake of our children, then I can't. In the long run we will only hurt our children more if we aren't in a relationship for the right reasons."

EJ pulled away from her touch and went to look out the window instead, "You've broken my heart so many times."

She watched him from afar, knowing how much that admission cost him. She came up behind him, trying not to cry, but her voice cracked, "I wish I hadn't of been so foolish. I know I've hurt you and if I could take it all back and start over from the first day we met I would, but I can't. We can't erase the past with some magic eraser, but I can promise you that I won't ever take you and your love for granted again if you will open up your heart to me once more. I love you EJ DiMera."

EJ shut his eyes, trying unsuccessfully to stave off the hot sting of tears he felt, and finally she was admitting she loved him despite all the terrible things they had done to one another in the past. He recalled Caroline's words to him that he needed to be honest with Samantha, to not play games anymore because it would hurt not only Samantha and him, but their children too. He took a deep breath and turned to face Samantha, the only woman he had ever loved, the woman he still loved even if she had wounded him so very deeply by her callous actions.

For once their roles were reversed; here Samantha stood secure in the knowledge that she loved him and wanted a life with him and he unsure and on the verge of trying to run away. But he didn't want to run away from her, he wanted a life with this woman who many times made his own chaotic, yet that was part of her charm. He never knew precisely what Samantha might do and he was sure she would keep him guessing for the rest of their lives. He wanted a lifetime with her, couldn't imagine not being with her especially after all the past few months they had spent together.

"I do love you Samantha. I don't think I ever stopped loving you."

The smile she gave him amidst her tears was a thing of beauty and then it grew even more so when he got on one knee before her, took her hand in his and asked her this time instead of telling her what they needed to do.

"Samantha Gene Brady, will you marry me? I know I don't have a ring yet, but I give you my heart if you still want it."

Sami dropped to her knees too so that she could kiss his lips for a brief second, "I want that more than anything. I promise this time I'll be careful with your heart."

"So that's a yes? This isn't in the worst proposal category anymore for you?"

She nodded her head, "This has moved to the top of the list. Yes, I'll marry you EJ DiMera. I want to be your wife."

"Wow who knew lack of blackmail, guilt or threats could bring about such an answer? Maybe I should have tried this approach all along."

Sami shook her head and started to laugh instead of cry and before she knew it EJ had pulled her in closer to him and they began kissing again at least until they heard a knock on the door and Sydney's voice, "Mommy, Daddy, come play dolls with us too?"

Johnny's voice was louder, "Come on Sydney, Mom and Dad are talking. They will play with us later."

"Now Johnny, not later."

Next they heard Allie, "Sydney please give them a few minutes."

"No! Playtime is now!"

EJ and Sami ended their kiss before it could turn into something more.

Sami stated breathlessly, "Guess our playtime will be later."

EJ swooped back in for one quick kiss from Sami before they parted. "I definitely want a play date with you Samantha Gene Brady. Looks like we can make Santa's naughty list later on tonight."

Sami gave him a knowing look and they got up from the floor. After the kids were asleep she was going to give EJ a night he would never forget. She was going to make him very glad he asked her to marry him.


	39. Chapter 39

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XLVI**

"Should we say something to the children about our decision to get married?" Sami asked EJ before they left their bedroom to go spend time with them especially after Sydney's insistence they come out and play now.

"Not yet," EJ began until he saw Sami's expectant face fall over those two simple words. He took her hand before she could turn away from him. "Please darling, you need to wait and hear out my reasoning before you start to immediately assume the worst."

Which was exactly what she was about to do, Sami thought, hating how deeply ingrained into her instincts the thought of rejection could instantly come to the forefront of her mind. She decided to go with being honest with him instead of closing herself off to him. "You can read me so well. All you have to do is speak a few words and I believe in the worst possible scenario instead of the best."

"In the past neither one of us were particularly forthcoming with the truth, especially me," EJ admitted with an honesty that surprised both of them.

"Both of us are strangers to the truth when it suits us because it is easier to protect your heart that way," Sami explained to him as if he didn't know it, hell they were both pros at constructing walls to keep from being hurt by others. It was second nature for her to turn or run away when things became too intimate.

"True, but if we are ever going to have a chance at being a real couple we have to learn how to tell each other what is going on, not allowing our fears destroy our happiness."

"Do you really think we can be happy EJ?" Sami asked quietly even though they could still hear the children outside the door. Sydney apparently wasn't taking that she needed to wait a minute as a suitable answer from her siblings.

EJ pulled her into his arms and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Sweetheart, I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I truly believe if we can let each other into those places deep inside us that we have closed off that we can find happiness and revel in it. This is why I wanted to wait before we tell the children that we are going to get married, I want to give you an engagement ring."

"EJ, I don't need a ring from you to know how you feel about me."

"I know, but I want to give you one, not to lay a claim on you…"

"Because you aren't the jealous type at all," Sami quipped.

"I won't lie; you bring out that trait in me. From the first time I saw you I wanted you to be mine."

Sami's face began to form in the start of a frown as she slightly pulled away from his embrace, "Which was by your father's decree."

EJ reluctantly shook his head in agreement with her words, "I admit I didn't have honorable intentions at first, but one look at you and I finally knew what the saying love at first sight meant. I fell for you that day and I haven't stopped falling yet."

Sami surprised him with an admission of her own, "Me either, although I fought it each step of the way."

"So you're saying it wasn't only me at first? You felt that pull at your heart for me too?"

Sami shrugged her shoulders and decided to be coy with him, "Guess you'll have to stick around to find out for sure."

EJ smiled at her, "I think I can be persuaded to stay."

They were about to kiss when another loud banging struck their bedroom door, "Mommy, Daddy, come on!"

"Persuasion class will begin later," Sami stated as she gave EJ a quick kiss on the cheek instead of kissing him on his mouth and then skirted out of his way to open up the door to see a very determined Sydney standing in the doorway.

"Finally," Sydney uttered as she took her mother's hand and began to lead her down the hallway with her father quickly following behind them, both of her parents trying their best not to laugh at their baby girl because she was being so serious.

When they were all situated in the living room, EJ and Sami's eyes met and the promise of what lay ahead of them was shining in both of their eyes. Tonight would be different for them.

It was the start of a new beginning, something both of them had never realized was possible given their past history, but sometimes life had a strange way of bringing you to the place you always wanted to be even if you didn't know it at the time.


	40. Chapter 40

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XLVII**

The children's playroom was a conglomeration of all of their toys, hobbies and interests and at the moment it looked like an explosion of baby dolls had taken place in the huge room. They were literally everywhere with the exception of Johnny's art easel and drafting table that were situated by one of the windows.

Sydney had dropped her mother's hand as soon as they were in the doorway and was instructing Allie and Johnny on what they needed to do to take care of their babies although when Sydney wasn't looking Johnny was either making the baby doll he had been given into what could be considered a contortionist like Houdini or throwing them up in the air while his twin sister rolled her eyes at him over his antics.

"I didn't realize Sydney had so many baby dolls," EJ whispered to Sami after they had been brought into the room by Sydney's insistence.

"Part of this collection is Allie's, although I think Allie has put all of her American Girls up on the shelf so that they couldn't get to them," Sami pointed to the high shelf that housed the collectible dolls Allie loved the most.

"With good reason," EJ noted as he nudged Sami in Johnny's direction so that Sami could see what he was doing behind his baby sister's back and then suddenly stopping if Sydney turned around to tell him something else.

"At the moment Johnny is outnumbered since Will is at college," Sami commented as her hand went to her stomach.

"Do you think he will continue to be?" EJ asked wondering if Sami had a feeling of what sex the baby might be this time around.

"It's difficult to say," Sami shrugged her shoulders. "I mean most instances I kind of had a feeling of what I might have, but at this point in time I'm just not sure. I just know this one is going to be a live wire."

Then Sami took EJ's hand, walked with him over to one of the day beds in the room and chose to sit down on it instead of opting for one of the many beanbag chairs that were scattered in various places around the room.

"Is the baby kicking again?" EJ asked as he settled down next to Sami, placing one arm around her back.

Sami nodded, "Yes, thus the reason I need to sit down for a moment. Plus there is another very important reason why too."

"Which is?" EJ's voice was suddenly concerned. Surely nothing was wrong with the baby.

Sami took his other hand and guided it to her stomach to where she thought he could feel for himself, "This is why."

EJ looked perplexed for a brief moment and then he felt it, the tiniest movement underneath his hand. "Is that our baby?"

Sami smiled, "Yes, I promised you'd be the first to feel he or she move and believe me this afternoon has been an active one. While you can feel it more distinctly if I don't have clothes on, I thought you might be able to see what I had been talking about last week."

"Oh Samantha, this is amazing," EJ said in awe and then as suddenly as the movement had came it was gone again, at least until Sami moved his hand over slightly and then he felt it again for just a few more seconds.

"It is, isn't it?" Sami beamed with happiness, so thankful she had made the decision to tell EJ about the baby right from the start because seeing the look on his face the first time he had ever felt the baby kick was something she wouldn't ever forget.

"Thank you sweetheart," EJ's eyes met hers and he leaned over to kiss her chastely on her lips.

"Yuck! Not again!" Johnny exclaimed as he witnessed his parents kiss from the other side of the room.

"People in love kiss," Allie remarked as she came over to where they sat on the daybed. "Isn't that right Mom?"

Before Sami could answer Johnny chimed in, "Plus you know what Ciara says…"

Sami and EJ both turned their heads away from one another ready to stop Johnny from imparting any tidbits of Ciara's supposedly sage wisdom upon the family when Sydney almost slapped a baby doll that had what looked like tufts of hair uprooted or cut clear to the scalp right upside EJ's face announcing, "This is your baby."

"Thank you Sydney," EJ looked over the doll and turned an upraised eyebrow to Sami, but he didn't have time to question Sami about his doll when Sydney awarded Sami a doll that looked like it had come straight from a tattoo parlor.

"Thanks Sydney," Sami said as she examined the markings on the doll Sydney had given her. It was rather extensive and the drawings were pretty good, surely Johnny had a hand in the makeover of this particular doll.

"Take good care of your babies," Sydney told them all as she held her favorite in her arms, the My Twinn doll which looked just like her that EJ had bought her for her birthday last year.

"We will," they all answered her solemnly because Sydney took playing with her baby's very seriously. With that admonition from her she walked off to the kitchen play set with her doll Sadie, humming and singing to her like the rest of them weren't even in the room with her anymore.

"Can I go play my video game now that you are in here with Sydney?" Johnny asked as he gave the baby he was holding another gymnastic flip in the air.

Sami was willing to let him go since he had been nice enough to Sydney to look after her along with Allie in the first place so that she and EJ could have their talk. "I guess so, but I have to ask you a question first."

"Sure, what do you want to know?"

Sami held out the baby with the tattoos, "This looks like the handiwork of someone who claims he never plays with baby dolls."

Johnny tossed the baby he had been holding onto the daybed and took the one from his mom instead, "Yeah, well sometimes Sydney will cry if you don't want to play with her so I talked her into letting me take Roxanne to the tattoo parlor."

"Tattoo parlor?" EJ asked and Johnny motioned over to his drafting table. "Son, how exactly do you know about tattoo parlors?

"Ciara told us she is going to get a tramp stamp as soon as she can sneak into one of those places," Johnny stated as he pulled up his shirt sleeve. "I'm going to go with her when she goes so that I can get a tattoo too, but don't worry I'm going to get a manly tattoo like Uncle Bo. Did you know he was in the Merchant Marines before he got old like you two?"

Sami's eyes widened as she honestly didn't know how to reply to her son, although luckily EJ saved her from her momentary lack of response, "So when is this little venture you are taking with Ciara to the tattoo parlor going to take place?"

"Not until I'm at least twelve since Ciara says when you get to be a teenager you can do all kinds of things that your parents won't find out about and since she'll be a teenager first and is a year older than me, I'm thinking twelve will be the year for me."

Allie shook her head, "You're such an idiot Johnny. You just told our parents what you were going to do. It kind of spoils the element of surprise."

"I'm not an idiot Allie. You'll both be cool with that though, won't you?" Johnny asked without a trace of guile in his voice.

While Sami had always thought she was a pretty progressive thinking parent due to having Will at such a young age, right now she wasn't too gung ho about being considered a cool parent was such a great thing to be anymore.

"I'm not so sure Johnny, twelve is a bit young and you have to have your parent's permission to get a tattoo before you turn a certain age in most states," EJ tried to explain to Johnny, but apparently he and Ciara had that all worked out already too.

"We'll just get Uncle Chad to take us and let him pretend like he is our parent, since he is young like us and Ciara thinks he is hot. So can I go play my video game in my room now?"

"Sure," Sami said quietly looking a bit shell shocked over exactly what their kids discussed when they weren't around.

"Thanks Mom," Johnny gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and darted out of the room as he tossed the other baby over to Allie who caught it before it hit the floor which would have caused Sydney to have a mini meltdown if she realized what Johnny had done to one of her baby's.

"Ciara gets us into a lot of trouble most times," Allie admitted as she turned to walk away.

"Sweet girl, come sit with your mum and me for a few minutes," EJ requested while he scooted over enough for Allie to sit between them both. When Allie was situated EJ asked her a question, "You realize we don't blame any of you for what happened at school on the playground today?"

"It was my fault we all got into trouble," Allie held her head down as her voice began to quiver.

"It wasn't Allie, sometimes girls are just mean; believe me I know from experience," Sami told her honestly.

It hit EJ that Samantha did know exactly what she was talking about and still faced it as he recalled a conversation they had a little while back about the women in the office at work being mean, but she could handle it. Yet Samantha was a woman who told him she could handle the way they treated her. To think that someone could be mean to Allie in the same kind of way bothered him terribly. "Did you ever think that this Courtney girl may be jealous of you?"

"Why would anybody be jealous of me?" Allie asked thinking no one would ever be jealous of her. "I'm not anything special."

Sami's heart broke hearing her eldest daughter think something like that of herself, although before she could reassure her that was the opposite, EJ spoke up, "Oh my sweet girl, you are so beautiful, kind and intelligent. I bet all the teachers love you at school."

"I do make good grades and I don't talk in class unless they ask me a question," Allie reluctantly admitted, "but that just makes me a nerd, not popular with the kids at school."

"I'm proud you are so smart," Sami told Allie wishing she could bolster her self-confidence, but she was so much like herself always doubting instead of believing in the good.

EJ took one of his hands and lifted up Allie's head so that she could look him in the eyes. "Have you ever considered that Courtney wishes she had two dads that loved her as much as Lucas and I love you? I mean most kids usually one have one dad and sometimes they don't even have one father to depend upon and you have two fathers who would do anything in the world for you."

"I hadn't thought of it that way," Allie said, "and Courtney had said a few days ago that her daddy had left home because he and her mom were fighting. I guess me saying how excited I was about the baby coming and how much I loved both of my dad's could have upset her, but I wasn't saying it to brag. I guess I didn't realize that she might wish her daddy would come home and there I was going on about how happy I was about our family."

"Was that why you asked me in Father Eric's office did I consider you my daughter? I'll love you no matter what your last name is because in my heart you are a DiMera just like Johnny, Sydney and this little one on the way. We're all family, no one can ever break the bond of love we have for one another."

"You love Mom too, don't you?" Allie asked as she turned to look at her mother momentarily before turning her eyes back to EJ.

"With my whole heart," EJ admitted, at last not afraid to say it out loud anymore.

Allie's smile was beautiful, just like her mother's EJ thought as he looked from daughter to mother and them bent over slightly to kiss the top of Allie's head as she hugged him as tight as she could while her mother hugged her as well.

"I'm so lucky to have a family like ours," Allie stated wholeheartedly after they stopped hugging and she arose from the couch. "I won't let Courtney or anyone else make me believe otherwise."

"That's my girl," EJ touched the tip of her nose as she skipped off to go play with Sydney since she was starting to give them all a scowl because they were talking and not playing with their dolls she had given them.

"I love you with my whole heart too EJ DiMera," Sami admitted as she snuggled back into his arms, being sure to keep tattooed Roxanne in her lap so that Sydney could see her if she looked back at them again.

EJ smiled as he kissed the top of her head too as an idea of how he would propose to Samantha was clear, if he could pull this off she was going to be so surprised.


	41. Chapter 41

**Whatcha Say**

**Part XLVIII**

Sami hated to admit it, but what Johnny had said to them kind of bothered her some. "Do you think we are that old?" She asked as she moved over to be even closer to EJ, all the while thinking it was so wonderful to be sheltered in his arms without having to hesitate on whether or not she should be closer to him in proximity.

"I still think we may have a few good years left before we are officially considered to be over the hill," EJ then nudged her neck, pushing her hair away from it so that he could kiss it quickly before the girls could catch them kissing one another like Johnny had a few minutes earlier before he had left the playroom.

Sami pulled back away from him, he knew how worked up she could get especially whenever he started kissing her neck. "EJ stop, I'm being serious."

"I am too," he picked another place a little further down from where he had initially began, now nipping at the neckline of the dress she was wearing.

After he started that with her, Sami pushed EJ away and tried to move so that she could put a little bit of distance between them before EJ had her so horny she wanted to jump his bones right now and they had promised the kids they would do family game night after they had supper.

"EJ, you need to stop," Sami warned as she placed the tattooed Roxanne baby in between them as if that would deter him, but still she wanted to bring him back around where he wasn't making her want to go sneak off and have sex with him.

"I can't help it, whenever you are near, I just want to," he then leant over to whisper in her ear a few very explicit and specific things he wanted to do to her.

Sami immediately blushed and reached out to take one of his hands to place it on her stomach, "And this is the result of what eventually happens when I let you do all those wicked and wanton things to me."

EJ smiled proudly, "I know, isn't it wonderful?"

"Me quadrupling in size should be considered as wonderful?"

EJ wanted to sigh, why did Samantha doubt how beautiful she was especially now when she was carrying his child? "Darling, you are hardly showing."

"You don't have to stand in your closet every morning before work hoping your clothes still fit, never mind my lingerie, my bras are so tight now I can barely breathe."

EJ's eyes widened with pure devilment, "Just go without a bra and knickers. Personally I would love it if I knew you didn't have on either. I would be hard pressed not to take advantage of the situation. Look at it this way, you forgoing wearing those things would be one less thing I have to take off of you when we make love."

Sami looked down at her ample chest and back to EJ, "Are you freaking kidding me? I can't go without wearing a bra and panties until the time the baby is born."

"You've went from a C to a D haven't you?" EJ asked while he tried to mentally judge her bra cup size without her being unclothed.

"This isn't helping matters EJ DiMera."

"I'll do a personal check on those beauties later just to be sure."

"You will not," Sami shook her head at him. EJ wasn't getting the point of her frustration, instead he was making light of it. Sometimes men just didn't understand no matter how many times you tried to explain it to them.

"Sweetheart I'd buy out Victoria's Secret for you if need be, although at least you might consider to go braless here even if you don't want to in public."

"EJ, I don't need for you to go on a shopping spree at Victoria's Secret..."

"So you'll do as I suggested, just wear nothing at all under your clothes and in our bedroom you could just be completely naked all the time."

"You just don't understand the point I'm trying to make to you. I'm getting huge and within another few weeks of so it will be even worse and it's all very unsexy."

"Samantha Brady, you ever being considered unsexy in my eyes is not remotely possible. Darling, I just grow more attracted to you with each passing day."

He could see she still wasn't convinced by his words, so he stood up and then took her by the hand so that she would stand beside him. The girls were busy playing with their dolls and didn't even notice them getting up from the day bed they were sitting upon.

"Come on, let's go to the bedroom," EJ whispered in her ear.

"EJ, I have to go cook supper and then we have game night…"

"I'll help you cook or if we need to we can just order something for all of us and have it delivered. Right now this is more important than you or I cooking supper."

"There is no time," she began to argue again, but EJ wasn't going to be dissuaded.

"We make time for us," EJ stated emphatically. "You are as much of a priority to me as the children. They are all playing and I doubt they are going to miss either one of us at least for thirty minutes or so, maybe longer."

"EJ, while I am sure you think your intentions are noble…"

"They may not be," he whispered into her ear once again. "You just have to come with me to find out."

"This is not a good idea."

"You need to wait and see what I want to show you before you deem whether or not this is a good idea for us."

"EJ…"

"Samantha…"

"Come on darling; just give me a few minutes of your time."

"Maybe a few minutes wouldn't hurt." Sami relented or she knew EJ would keep pestering her until she went along with whatever he decided upon.

EJ smiled as he tugged on her hand, quietly making their escape from the children's playroom. He led them to their bedroom and shut the door, locking it behind him. Sami eyed him warily, but he wasn't deterred in the slightest. If it took him every day from now on to prove to his soon to be wife that she was the most beautiful woman in the world to him, he would gladly do it. Caroline's words to him earlier about Samantha being as fragile as Allie could be sometimes resounded in his mind.

He was determined to show Samantha just how much she meant to him and for once he wasn't allowing his fear of being rejected by her stop him. They were in a good place with one another and he didn't ever want this woman to doubt in herself anymore.

She was magnificent and before they left this room again he wanted her to believe it as much as he did.


	42. Chapter 42

**_Whatcha Say_**

**_Part XLIX_**

EJ began, "First thing, I want you to turn around…"

"Why?"

Of course she would question him, she always did.

"Because I asked you to," EJ answered.

Sami started to frown, she didn't know what he was trying to prove, but she wasn't in the mood.

"Please turn around," EJ tried that approach instead with her.

"Since you actually said please the time..."

"Yes, I said please," EJ nodded as his hands now rested on her shoulders, "and you know that used to be a foreign word for me, at least until I met you."

Sami shrugged her shoulders slightly feeling the comforting weight of EJ's hands upon them, "Well someone had to be the first to tell you no."

"Which you did with alarming repetitiveness, I never thought I'd get you to see things my way."

"You think I do now?" Sami asked with a hint of mirth in her voice.

"Not too much of the time," EJ acknowledged, "but you know me. I'm always up for any challenge you present to me."

"Is the challenge wearing off now that you've gotten me?"

"Never," EJ said with such conviction it almost made Sami believe him, but still all those old insecurities arose up within her, especially now that she was pregnant, it was like her hormones ganged up with her emotions and she felt like she was on a constant roller coaster, one minute elated, the next minute doubting herself to the extreme.

EJ removed his hands from her shoulders, using one hand to unzip her dress while the other pulled it away from her body, leaving her only clad in her lingerie and of course her high heeled shoes she refused to give up wearing even though he knew they had to be hurting her feet after a long day at work.

"EJ, what are you doing?" Sami asked although she had a pretty good idea of where this was going with them.

EJ slid his hands down to the lace edging at the top of her panties and took them off of her, steadying her from falling and then his hands went to the clasp of her bra, unfastening it, but he didn't push it away from her body. He ran his fingers over her back, seeing the slight indentations on her skin from where the lace had been, he leaned in to kiss the faint line and then he went back to her shoulders to make the straps slide down her arms making sure to kiss each shoulder and he turned her around to finally face him. Seeing her face him he then removed the bra from her completely.

Sami's breasts had grown slightly, he could easily tell now seeing her like this standing before him, but it wasn't a bad thing, at least not to him.

"Sweetheart, you are so beautiful," he began to tell her; all the while she shook her head in negation to his words.

"I'm not beautiful."

"Yes, you are. Samantha you are the most beautiful woman in the world to me, you're the only one for me. I'll never grow tired of being with you, seeing you each and every day." Instead of cupping her breasts like she thought he might, he ran his hands down to the rounded curve of her stomach. "Do you have any clue of how awestruck I am of you?"

Sami shook her head, "Why would anyone feel that way about me?"

EJ got on his knees before her and placed a soft kiss on her stomach, "You mean everything to me and I watch you grow in beauty each day."

"I'm growing each day, that much is for sure." Sami said despairingly.

EJ kissed her stomach one more time before standing back up in front of her.

"You absolutely have no idea how humbled I am that you are having our baby and that you've let me accompany you on this amazing journey."

Sami's eyes filled with tears, "I should have let you be a part of our other pregnancies, Johnny, Sydney..."

"Don't cry sweetheart, you had your reasons why you did what you did those times."

"Yet you still didn't give up on me," she couldn't help it as the tears started to course down her face.

EJ gently wiped at her tears, "I'll never give up on you Samantha. I love you, I love our children and I love this little one that's on the way."

"I love you too, but before the baby gets here I'm just going to be huge, my feet are going to swell to the point where I can't even wear my shoes, and you've already seen how tight my bra fit and don't get me started about my wardrobe." She wanted to turn her head away from him, but he wouldn't let her.

"I think you are sexy as hell Samantha. I actually like seeing your body change, learning new things about you."

"I'm not sexy," she reiterated, but this time EJ was the one to shake his head over what she was saying to him.

"Yes, you are," EJ finally pulled her up flush to his clothed body while hers was completely unclothed, "and if I have to show you each and every day what this incredible body of yours does to me, then I'll be happy to do so. Plus I'm extremely curious to figure out new ways to make love to you."

"So even when I'm huge and believe me I will be before long, that you'll still want to have sex with me."

"Make love to you," EJ corrected her. "I think we could be pretty inventive, don't you?"

"Maybe," Sami began as she began to tug on his already loosened tie, "but it would be hard to say especially since you have on all of your clothes and I don't."

"I can remedy that very quickly," EJ started to unbutton his shirt.

"Are you sure?" Sami asked as she reached for his belt buckle while he was still unbuttoning his shirt.

"Very sure," EJ finished with his shirt shrugging it off while Sami started to unzip his pants.

"Well I guess you're going to have to give me an up close and personal demonstration especially if you want to help me figure out some new ways for us to make love. But you know we have to be quick about it right now because I'm betting the children are going to notice us being gone very soon."

EJ smiled when he was finally as naked as she was with the exception of her shoes, which he planned to take off of her as soon as he picked her up in his arms and then placed her on their bed.

"A quickie now and then later on tonight…" EJ offered up to her letting her take the lead with him after ridding her of her shoes and carelessly tossing them over the side of the bed.

"We can have a more in depth exploration of what you were thinking about us doing, these inventive ways you want to try out with me," Sami straddled him as she finally started to smile as soon as she aligned him up with her.

"I promise I have lots of them," EJ gasped as soon as he was sheathed inside of her depths.

"I'll hold you to it," Sami said before she began moving upon him and they got lost in being with each other no matter how short the time might be for them at the moment.


	43. Chapter 43

**Whatcha Say**

**Part L**

After Sydney and Allie tired of playing with dolls, well actually it was only Allie who was ready to move on to something else to do, but somehow she convinced her little sister that they should cook supper for their parents. While Sydney still wanted to play with her dollies, she was excited she was going to help her big sister. Most times she was considered too little to do anything much by her siblings, so this was her chance to prove she wasn't a little baby anymore.

Allie went into the kitchen and stood in the middle of the room, her hands placed on her hips as she contemplated what she and Sydney could make for supper. She wanted something which would be edible without a huge amount of time or preparation on their part since she wasn't sure when her parents would venture into this room themselves.

She wanted to prove to her mom and EJ she was ready to help out with whatever they needed because she knew a new baby needed a lot of time and attention. While she was hoping for another sister she guessed another brother wouldn't be too bad.

Then of course Johnny came barreling into the kitchen asking what they were doing and before Allie could answer her twin brother Sydney replied, "Makin' food."

Johnny shot Allie a weird look over what Sydney had said until she informed him, "We are going to cook supper for Mom and Dad."

"Neither one of you know how to cook," Johnny exclaimed in a matter of fact tone.

Allie shook her head, sometimes her brother was so dense, "I can cook Johnny. Will taught me how when I was at my other dad's house."

"Why hasn't Will taught me then?" Johnny asked still not believing his sister knew how to do something he didn't know how to do.

"Maybe you've never asked him to show you?" Allie replied irritably as she now hoped the new baby would be a girl. Being around Johnny for any amount of time lately was quickly proving to her they needed another girl into the mix.

"Allie teachin' me," Sydney proclaimed as she went to stand by her sister, placing her hands on her hips like Allie had done earlier when they had entered the room.

"I'm going to help too then," Johnny stated as he went to the refrigerator and opened the door, peering inside at the contents of the fridge.

"Great," Allie muttered under her breath then she nudged her brother to one side so she could look and see what was inside only to feel Sydney's little hands pressing on their hips to move in between them.

"What now?" Johnny asked.

"Let's make a salad," Allie said amidst groans already coming from Johnny.

"I hate salad."

"Johnny we have to eat healthy," Allie began to lecture him. "Mom needs to eat lots of fruits and vegetables."

"I want pizza instead," Johnny then added, "let's call Domino's."

All he got in reply was a resounding no from both of his sisters.

"You can either help us or get out of the way," Allie stated to which Sydney was shaking her finger at her brother since she wasn't repeating Allie verbatim like she usually tried to do when they were trying to prove a point to Johhny.

Johnny held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, it was just a suggestion."

"Now that we have that out of the way, Johnny you go to find the cutting board and a knife."

"Mom doesn't let us use them," Johnny replied smugly.

"I'll have to use both items to make the salad. I just can't tear all the veggies up with my hands. I want it to look pretty."

"You'll get in trouble when Mom finds out."

Allie shot him a look that dared him to say anything else to her. Johnny grumbled something under his breath that his sister couldn't hear distinctly, but she let it go because they didn't have time to argue, she was sure they would argue enough later when they had their family game night. Right now they had to get this prepared quickly in order to surprise their parents.

Sydney looked up at Allie expectantly with a sweet smile on her face, "What I do?"

At least she had one sibling who would do what she needed them to do without arguing against her at every turn. Yes, they most definitely needed another sister if only to outnumber Johnny. Allie smiled back at Sydney, then told her to get the things needed out of the vegetable bin in the fridge, carefully one thing at a time which Sydney began to dutifully work on the job her big sister had given her.

Allie looked to see if they had any left-over rotisserie chicken and from what she judged luckily they had enough to use in the salad. Allie wouldn't let Sydney near the cutting board while she was using it, while she was sure she could handle using the knife on the cutting board she wanted to keep Sydney safe from the sharp object of the knife. Allie was concentrating on getting everything just right, she had Johnny wash the veggies, Sydney would bring them over to her and then she cut and chopped each item they were going to use in the salad.

She told Johnny to help Sydney set the dining room table instead of the table they used in the kitchen nook and before he could tell her that was a girl's job in the house she reminded him since they had moved into this house EJ always helped Mom in the kitchen when she needed it. Johnny grumbled some more, but he did as Allie instructed.

Allie looked up from what she was doing to survey the dining room table to make sure it looked nice and to her surprise it looked great. She then asked Johnny to light the candles to which of course she got attitude again about how they weren't supposed to use the lighter either so she told him in a huff she would do it when she finished the salad if he too scared to use the lighter to light the candles.

"I'm not scared, just trying to do what Mom and Dad tell us to do."

Allie rolled her eyes, "You are always doing things you aren't supposed to do behind their back, but do I tell on you?"

"Not most times, but Allie Mom will be mad…"

"They will see how grown up we are by helping without being asked…"

"Whatever Allie, you are so bossy sometimes…"

"I am not!"

Before she and Johnny got into a full-fledged fight with one another which would probably make Sydney cry because they were fighting with one another, she heard EJ's voice, "What's going on in here? Why are you two yelling at one another?"

Allie immediately dropped the knife and it clattered on the floor, but fortunately the contents of the salad were already placed in the bowl she had chosen for the salad. The look of fright upon her face was immediate because why she had been sure of what she was doing while they were making dinner for their parents she also knew her mother had told them they were not to use certain things unless she or EJ were with them and now she was caught breaking the rules. Her lower lip began to quiver because she had already been in big trouble at school today and now this, she was definitely going to be grounded.

"Daddy EJ, I…" she began and then stopped.

"I told Allie not to use the knife," Johnny said in his voice he used when he was tattling on one or both of his sisters to his father.

"Because you always follow our rules, you would never do anything behind your mum's or mine back, right?" EJ asked Johnny which alluded to him hearing what Allie had said to Johnny before they knew he was in hearing distance of their latest argument.

Johnny looked down at the lighter he held in his hands, but before he could say anything, Allie spoke up, "It's all my fault, I told Johnny to use the lighter. I just wanted to light the candles on the dining room table to make everything look pretty for you and Mom."

Allie then realized her mom was right behind EJ, great now they would both be mad at her together. She was about to apologize when Sydney jumped right in front of their parents and yelled, "Ta Da!"

Oh how she loved her little sister, well that got the attention off her for a moment, but she knew her mom and EJ were going to be upset with her for deliberately disobeying the household rules for their family.

"Come see!" Sydney pulled her parents hands and took them to the dining room which was all set so perfectly with the candles lit. She dropped their hands and did a little twirl in front of them, then pointed to the table and once more exclaimed "Ta da!"

Sami and EJ both tried not to laugh at Sydney, they never wanted to curb her enthusiasm especially when she thought she was being serious. Sami took in the room, then looked back at Allie and Johnny who were still standing in the kitchen together looking like they were about to face a firing squad while their youngest sister was dancing around the dining room, telling her daddy everything they had done to make supper.

Sami walked back into the kitchen with a smile, trying to abate what she could tell was apprehension upon the twin's faces.

Once more Allie looked as if she were on the verge of tears. "Mom, I'm sorry I broke the rules. It was me telling Johnny and Sydney what to do…"

"Come here you two," Sami beckoned to her twins and opened up her arms for them to each be on one side of her. "This is a very nice thing of you all to do for us."

"Really?" they asked in unison, something they did a lot even if they didn't realize it.

Sami leaned over to kiss each one of them on the forehead, "Yes, thank you."

"So you're not mad?" Allie asked uncertainly even while she snuggled into her mother's embrace.

"I guess I need to let you two do more around the house, but you have to promise to be careful like you were tonight."

"We will," they answered together again.

EJ walked back into the kitchen with Sydney in his arms, he looked over to the salad Allie had prepared for them all. "Well let's go eat. I'm starving and we have to do game night before it gets too late. Remember Allie gets to choose the game tonight."

Allie broke out into a smile, they weren't mad at her; at least she had done something right today even if school had been a complete disaster.

"Ta da," Sydney kept on babbling in her sweet voice as Sami and the twins were gathering up everything else they would need for supper. Sami walked in ahead of the twins.

Johnny leaned over to Allie to whisper, "Well that got the heat off of us but what's up with Sydney saying Ta da over and over again?"

"Must have had a magician come to preschool today," Allie shrugged as Sydney then broke out into another song as they walked into the dining room and gathered around the table to enjoy their meal together.

Johnny went to sit by Allie as Sydney continued to sing. "I think you are right."

Once more Sydney repeated the phrase before they begin to eat all the while Allie thought how wonderful it was to finally feel like they were a family. It was all she had ever wanted, no more shuffling from place to place wondering what kind of situation they would end up in next. She caught EJ's eye and he smiled and winked at her and somehow she knew he felt the exact same way.

Sometimes bad days could turn into good ones it seemed.


	44. Chapter 44

**Whatcha Say**

**Part LI**

Dinner was an overall success. EJ and Sami had both been impressed with their children's willingness to help out with the household chores and making dinner for the entire family. The twins were growing up so quickly it made Sami more than a little bit sad thinking of how she had excluded EJ from so many nights like this one they were all enjoying now.

Sami thought, _maybe I am teaching my children good things, and that I'm not such a screw up as a parent as I think I am most times_. Once more feelings of not being adequate enough rebounded in her mind. Most of her family had and every man she had been in a relationship with besides EJ had made her feel like whatever she had attempted was always just a little bit short of the mark, but she hoped one day she wouldn't always second guess her choices.

The rest of the evening went by pleasantly with the exception of the twins getting into an argument over how to play Uno correctly, well that and of course it didn't help matters at all when EJ decided to call her out for what he deemed as cheating whilst she and Sydney had almost swept the entire last game they were playing with one another.

And they would have won it all if only EJ had just kept his mouth shut_. Even if they had all decided whoever won the last game would be the reigning Uno champ until the next time they played the game, it wasn't going to be her who was the winner, it would be Sydney. Really what harm was it causing for their baby girl to win a single game of Uno?_

Sami had been close to feeling downright giddy because Sydney was so excited, but then she immediately whipped her head around in EJ's direction when she heard him innocently inquire, "Samantha my dear, it would seem like lady luck is surely smiling down upon you and Sydney. Is there any chance you have some extra cards up your sleeve?"

Johnny and Ali looked at their mother curiously and then back at EJ.

Johnny stated with a hint of confusion in his voice, "Daddy, Mom has short sleeves on her dress."

Ali though had caught on to what EJ was thinking pretty quickly though by adding, "I think Daddy EJ is inferring that Mom could be cheating at Uno."

Sami was about to object that she was doing no such thing when Sydney giggled and reached for the last few hidden cards in her mother's lap holding them up proudly, "Daddy so silly, cards are right here, not in sleeves."

All eyes besides Sydney turned to Sami for some kind of explanation while her youngest child continued to laugh and took one card, laid it on the stack of cards in the middle of the table and declared, "Uno! We won Mommy!"

Then Sydney wiggled out of her mother's lap and began to dance around the room proclaiming victory.

Of course Sami still had the other three people at the table waiting for her to fess up which she wasn't willing to do at the moment even with all the cards on the table so to speak.

Really all she had done was hid a few cards that would help her and Sydney win at least one game. Her baby girl needed to best all of them since she was the baby at least for a few more months and Sami had done whatever had been necessary to ensure that outcome would certainly happen for her.

She was so mad at EJ, could he not see what she had done was to bolster their child's confidence? She narrowed her eyes looking directly into his and gritted her teeth before she stated every word in a very succinct manner, "Elvis Aaron Jr. DiMera, I need to speak to you for a few moments alone."

Johnny instantly proclaimed, "Oh Daddy, Mom's called you by your full name. That means you are in big trouble!"

EJ almost told his son he wasn't in any sort of trouble at all with their mother, but the look on Samantha's face wasn't very reassuring at the moment so he decided to stay quiet.

Sami calmly said to Ali and Johnny, "Your father and I will be back in a few minutes, please look after Sydney until we return."

"Yes, Mom," the twins replied immediately even though Sydney wasn't paying attention to any of them as she continued dancing and singing at the top of her voice.

Sami pushed her chair from the table, promptly got up and walked away from the table without another word to any of them. EJ decided he better follow suit and he exited the table as well, but he couldn't help the amused chuckle that escaped from him before he thought better about doing so when his future wife quickly snapped her head back at him.

EJ immediately stopped any sort of merriment emitting from his demeanor because the look Samantha was giving him didn't appear to be jovial in any shape or form. Then she turned around and kept walking to their library with EJ trailing right behind her.

Johnny leaned over to Allie, "Mom looked so mad at Daddy."

Allie replied, "I can't ever recall Mom using Daddy EJ's full name before. He is in trouble with her for sure."

"Better him than us," Johnny raised his hand for his twin sister to slap back in the air.

"You aren't kidding," Allie completed the hand slap she and her brother frequently used when they were in complete agreement with one another while Sydney came back to the table, grabbed a handful of cards and then gleefully threw them up in the air while she continued to declare she was the winner of game night.

Allie asked Johnny "Do we tell Sydney to stop throwing the cards everywhere before Mom and Dad come back into the room?"

Johnny swiped some cards from the table and got up. "Nah, let's do it too. Dad is the one in trouble with Mom, not us. We better take advantage of this situation while we can. If we didn't get in trouble for using the knives and lighting the candles earlier, I think we are pretty much in the clear."

"I guess you're right," Allie took what was left of the cards, left the table and proceeded to throw them up in the air alongside her siblings while they continued to laugh with one another.


	45. Chapter 45

**Whatcha Say**

**Part LII**

Sami had walked into the library ahead of EJ and when she realized he was right behind her, she asked, "Did you close the door?"

He countered back with a question of his own. "Do I really need to close the door?"

Sami spun on her heel to face him, her voice stern, "Yes, because the children do not need to witness what is about to take place between us."

Once again EJ had to curb his desire to break out into laughter; he didn't think Samantha would appreciate how funny he found the entire situation of him calling her out on cheating during their card game of Uno with the children. So to prevent her from becoming angrier with him, he promptly shut the door.

Sami stated calmly, "You'll need to lock it too."

EJ clicked the lock into place, tried his best not to smirk because whatever Samantha was about to do, he was pretty damn sure he was going to enjoy it immensely. He knew it was crazy, but he absolutely loved it when she was really perturbed with him. As soon as he turned around to face her, she was right there in front of him.

Sami pushed him against the door, which he permitted without putting up any fuss, but he grew kind of anxious when she still hadn't said another word to him. instead she just narrowed her eyes at him while she contemplated his fate. EJ felt himself immediately go hard; his imagination was already running wild with possible scenarios of what his unpredictable decadent angel might say or do to him.

After a few moments of intense scrutiny, Sami finally asked, "Was it really necessary to call me out in front of our children?"

"Samantha, it was so obvious you were cheating during the card game we were playing."

"It was not, EJ. If you hadn't been staring at me the entire time…"

EJ reached out to touch her face, "I can't help it darling. You're so beautiful to me."

Sami rolled her eyes as she moved back enough to escape his tender touch, "Please, you're just trying to butter me up because you know you are…"

"In trouble with you? Oh god, I hope so," EJ interjected before she could finish her sentence in that sexy voice of his that Sami found so very difficult to resist.

EJ was about to pull her into a kiss, when Sami shook her head, "Just stop right there because I'm not kissing you EJ."

"Please, just one kiss sweetheart?"

"No, you have to take your punishment."

"You were the one who was cheating at freaking Uno, not me."

Sami took one finger to press up against his lips, "Shhh, no talking back to me."

EJ kissed her finger which only made Sami look even sterner with him than she had before, "I mean it Elvis Aaron Jr. DiMera, stop it."

"You know you are the only one beyond my mum that I allow to call me by my full name."

Sami was on the verge of laughing herself, but she tried her best to look like she was still angry with him. "You allow me?"

Even though he knew it was going to aggravate her, he immediately replied, "Yes, I allow you and you should be damn grateful I do."

"We'll see what you allow," Sami stated heatedly and before EJ knew it, she had unbuckled his belt, then unbuttoned and unzipped his dress pants. She went to her knees in a flash as she took out his already swollen cock, using one hand to grab him while she instantly took him into her mouth. She twisted her hand slightly while she slid back and forth upon him, her lips briefly meeting her hand each time as she greedily sucked him.

EJ placed one hand in her hair and somehow managed to gasp out an "Oh my god Samantha."

Sami loved the sounds he was making, yet she stopped sucking momentarily to look up at EJ even though she kept her hand moving upon him, "You were saying you allowed me to call you by your given name? That I should be what did you say, damn grateful of the fact?"

EJ shook his head, "Samantha, I…I…"

Sami smirked and slackened up her grip slightly, "Can't think coherently right now EJ?"

"Please Samantha, please don't stop what you started."

"I might allow it, then again," she paused as if pondering what she should do as she glanced back down at his taut and slightly reddened skin from where she had been aggressively going down on him only moments before.

His voice was close to breaking as he uttered his questioning plea, "Please continue?"

"Hmmm, I don't know," Sami tightened up her grip again and briefly flicked her tongue over the crown of EJ's cock.

"Sweetheart, please I'm begging you."

Sami rubbed the head of his cock over her lips and then once more pulled back away from him even though she revved up the pace of her hand as she continued to stroke his length.

"I won't ever… call you…out again," EJ promised as he gasped for breath.

"You better not," Sami stopped all motion and looked as if she was going to completely stop everything she was doing and pull back away from him.

"Samantha? Sweetheart?"

Sami smiled a wicked smile, winked at him and instead of quitting like EJ feared she might, she began anew, the one hand resumed its pace as she took him back into her mouth and then blissfully she opened up wider to deep throat him. The hand she had been using to stroke him went to his balls as she gently squeezed them and then she felt him cum, taking all of his essence until she finally felt it ebb away.

Sami released her hold on EJ, pressed her hands upon his thighs and pushed herself up, she then carefully maneuvered EJ's cock back into his silk boxer shorts, zipped up his pants and fastened them along with his belt.

She pointed one finger against his still clothed chest. "Next time, I won't let you cum until I allow it. Do you understand me?"

EJ nodded now with a contented smile upon his face. "Yes Samantha, I understand."

"Good, don't forget it."

Then she kissed him.

When she pulled back away from EJ, he asked, "I thought you didn't want to kiss me."

Sami shrugged her shoulders, "I changed my mind and if you're lucky later on tonight I may kiss you some more among other things, but you have to promise me one thing."

EJ grinned, "Anything darling, just name it."

Sami stood up on her tiptoes so that she could whisper in his ear, "You have to be very nice or is it very naughty? I just can't decide. Guess you'll just have to wait and see. plus I'm not sure if I should allow you to cum tonight at all."

Then she veered to step past him and exited the room like nothing at all had happened between them at all.

Before he could compose himself, EJ sent up a silent thank you to the heavens above because he was in love with this bewitching vixen and hopefully before long she would be his wife.

He walked out of the room thinking now as whether to be naughty or nice?


End file.
